(Some readers will find some of the material in this posting distasteful, but there’s nothing visual or verbal in it to merit keeping the kids away from it.)
I’ll blame this on the luminous Minnie Driver, playing Queen Elizabeth I in season 2 of the Starz tv period drama The Serpent Queen.
(#1) MD in one of her fabulous QEI costumes; the character invites extravagance in costuming and makeup (further examples to come)
Through an accident of dates, QEI will take us to “The Teddy Bears’ Picnic” song and secret worlds hidden from everyday life (and, of course, gay bears). Then, through the excellent “hell of a queen” quotation, she will take us on a further wild ride to the Princeton Triangle Club in 1960 and, more generally, to queens in drag.
Buckle up.
Background: The Serpent Queen. From Wikipedia:
The Serpent Queen is an American historical drama television series about the life of Catherine de’ Medici, the 16th century Queen of France, as portrayed by actress Samantha Morton. The series was created by Justin Haythe and is based on the 2004 nonfiction book Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France by Leonie Frieda. The Serpent Queen premiered on Starz on September 11, 2022.
Now come the bears. From my 11/17/18 posting “Teddy Bears’ Picnic Day”:
I was moved to declare November 17th Teddy Bear Picnic Day, … but it turns out that (by whatever obscure mechanism these things happen) July 10th is already taken for this occasion, according to the Days of the Year site.
… [However,] my go-to person on British royalty (Chris Ambidge), reminds me that Elizabeth acceded to the English throne on November 17th, 1558, so that today is unquestionably Elizabeth I Accession Day. From a Princeton Triangle Club show from a great many decades ago, the anthem for today:
I’m Elizabeth the First / Say it if you durst / I’m a hell of a queen!
[AZ: I now think it might have been “We’re a hell of a queen!”, with the royal we]
(#2) Cate Blanchett in the 1998 biographical drama film Elizabeth
(#3) Lily Cole in the 2017 tv miniseries Elizabeth I
The posting then goes on with “The Teddy Bears’ Picnic” song, which tells of a secret world, hidden from the world of everyday life, where all the bears can frolic together as they will.
Hell of a Queen Day. One year later, in my 11/17/19 posting “A hell of a queen”:
I’m now thinking of (Elizabeth’s) Accession Day as Hell of a Queen Day — a much more versatile concept.
So, well, yes, drag queens. And men in drag take me back to 1960 at Princeton.
Background: the Princeton Triangle Club. From Wikipedia:
The Princeton Triangle Club is a theater troupe at Princeton University. Founded in 1891, it is one of the oldest collegiate theater troupes in the United States. Triangle premieres an original student-written musical every year, and then takes that show on a national tour. The club is known for its signature kickline; historically performed by the men of the ensemble in drag, the kickline has recently been performed by a co-ed cast.
Back when I was at Princeton, before coeducation, the kickline was of course all guys in drag, as were all female characters in the show. In particular, Queen Elizabeth I in the 1960 show.
Now come the guys in drag. On the Princeton Univ. Seeley G. Mudd Manuscript Library site, by Helene van Rossum on 11/2/10, about the Princeton Triangle Club’s
pseudo Shakespearean musical, A Midsummer Night’s Screame (1960-1961), [in which] Queen Elizabeth I (Geoffrey Smith ’61) is a playwright, who enlists the help of Sir Walter Raleigh (John Crowther ’61), to find a suitable man to take credit as the author of her works. He discovers William Shakespeare (Alexander Kennedy ’62), an aspiring, but not particularly talented poet. Two Spanish spies at the English court (John Simon ‘63 and Hugh Bartlett ’62) discover the Queen’s secret and encourage her to continue her writing, so that she may be distracted from her queenly duties, allowing the Spanish Armada to attack England.
This is the Queen Elizabeth who was a hell of a queen, double entendre fully intended. A line written by one of my friends, though I’m not sure which one (probably Clark Gesner ’61 or John Mintun ’62). Well, that was 64 years ago, and almost everyone involved has died, including Geoff Smith, who played the Virgin Queen. But I remember the show with great pleasure.
And, of course, that excellent regal line.