Cherry Jezebel

Jonathan Larkin

• Publisher: Methuen Drama
• Year: 2022
• Print ISBN: 9781350339125
• eBook ISBN: 9781350339149
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Media & Performing Arts
• Subtopic: British Drama

The party ain't over yet! As long as that music keeps playing, I'll keep dancing!

Raw, rude and raucous, Cherry Jezebel is a dazzling new drama. Hilarious and heartbreaking, it's a champagne blowout and the hangover from hell, a spin under the glitterball that lands in the gutter.

The bass is pounding, the audience are cheering, and Cherry Brandy is blinking back tears. Tonight's the night she's finally recognised as the Queen she is, with the crown to prove it. Is this the triumphant moment she's always dreamed of?

Behind the mascara, the wigs and the six-inch stiletto heels, all that glitters isn't gold. At least she's always got her best mate Heidi. But growing up queer in Liverpool is grim, and the queer family they've forged is about to slip through Cherry's nicotine-stained fingers.

From the boudoirs to the bathrooms of Liverpool's gloriously gobby drag scene, Cherry Jezebel is a riot of lipstick and split lips, of bitching and bruises. It's a play that celebrates queerness while spilling the tea on the pain behind the polish.

Act One

Scene One

Cherry’s Flat

Opening music – ‘Always’ by Patsy Cline.

Lights up on Cherry’s flat. A cosy visual history of a life in drag. Posters of Dietrich on the wall, Liza, a mirror ball on the ceiling, a retro bar in the corner. A big camp warm mess.

Centre stage is a big mirror covered in photographs of Cherry’s various looks. You can’t see the glass at all.

Up above at mezzanine level, lights up on her bedroom. It’s like an explosion of feathers, wigs, leather and boots. A big comfy bed is piled high with old fur coats and throws. Out of the shadows steps a man. He wears a silk kimono and a hair net. He is Stanley but tonight we can call her Cherry.

Cherry sits in front of the mirror. She starts to put her face on as she mimes to the words of the Patsy song. Throughout the song she’s building her drag but never takes the hairnet off. The makeup, the boots, the dress, everything goes on.

The song fades out. Quickly she reaches up to take the hair net off, but as she snatches it off –

Black out.

Silence, then a deafening applause rings out like it’s from a full auditorium.

Scene Two

Awards Show Stage

A local awards show stage. To the sound of applause, we hear an announcer calling:

AnnouncerGaydies and gentlethems! The MerseyPride Icon Award goes to . . . Cherry Brandy!

To rapturous applause Cherry Brandy emerges through the crowd, head to toe in sparkling gold and a big cherry red wig. She gets up and takes the award, beaming.

CherryI am just overwhelmed by this, I can’t believe it. To know I’ve touched people’s hearts means so much. I just do what I do, I don’t know how to do anything else other than entertain and make people happy.

Ever since the first time I put on a dress. My sister Joanne’s communion dress. Oh I looked gorgeous in it. Little ringlets in my hair. I was the Sheil Road Shirley Temple. Stood in front of the mirror in my mum and dad’s bedroom doing a little dance . . .

And then my dad and brothers came home early from the pub and caught me. They clapped and cheered and put me on a pedestal and I’ve been there ever since! And it’s all thanks to family. And I don’t just mean blood relations. I mean you lot.

We’re a family. A big rainbow family, every colour, every shape, every size. And families look out for one another. Especially when the going gets tough and right now it’s tougher than ever! I look around our city and, y’know, sometimes I think the clocks are going backwards.

Every week there’s another queen with a black eye or a split lip. We can’t even mince through the streets anymore without being attacked! It reminds me of the bad old days and believe me, I took my share of the licks then! Spent half the 80s in A&E flirtin’ with the doctors!

And it was the same reason then as it is now. Tory friggin’ government! Try as we might we just can’t get them out can we? We’re too busy fightin’ each other! Who cares if a leather queen wants to do a Pride march in chaps? Who cares if you wear a pup mask in the street? It’s them public school boys we should be attackin’! We should be burnin’ down Eton! We should be marchin’ into Wetherspoons tooled up, swingin’ our butt plugs like baseball bats an’ watchin’ those bigots scatter!

They’ve trampled on us queers before but we always pick ourselves up by our jockstraps and keep going. We are queer with no fear! A city and a scene that look after its own, my community’s been there for me and I’m just made up I can always return the favour!

Me door’s always open! Front and back. Just bring me a weed and some jangle and you’re in! I love you all, and I’m so happy you all love me. It’s been magical and the party ain’t over yet! As long as that music keeps playing, I’ll keep dancing. For all of us! There’s no place like homo! Ta loves! Ta!

Applause rises again and drowns her out – then stops.

It’s just her in the spotlight.

Her smile fades. She’s searching the audience, increasingly desperate to see someone in particular. But they’re not there. She walks off, taking her award with her.

Scene Three

Boudoir Toilets

The toilets in a busy gay bar. A sink unit and mirror looks out to the audience whilst three grubby toilet cubicles are lined up stage rear. The throb of music can be heard outside. The door opens stage right and in staggers Pearl Reckless – young, club-kid on a budget, dodgy wig, unsure on their feet as they’re so wasted. Pearl speaks on their phone.

PearlBitch where are yous? Nice one for leggin’ it and leavin’ me on me own! Proper sly!

They look in the mirror, fo...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Thank You
• Cast
• Company
• Contents
• Cherry Jezebel
• Characters
• Act One
• Act Two
• Acknowledgements
• Copyright Page