Following on from my VE Day performance at my autism group (read here), I offered to my peers and their friends and family if I could perform some heritage interpretation at any events they may run; I then got an act up and running again when I was invited to perform at an inclusive music festival (as well as selling some of my arts and crafts).

With my first VE Day performance being a drag-act (despite having a uniform I considered gender neutral from being a Civil Defence uniform and it was a uniform designed for women) and with the second I performed to the age group below me in a dress inspired by Vera Lynn's White Cliffs of Dover (referencing my autism group's talent show in 2017 when I performed that song in honour of her 100th birthday), I spent a good bit of time debating whether it would be drag or dress (one of the most difficult decisions to make as a non-binary genderfluid reenactor).

I happened to be scrolling on Instagram when I discovered a fellow reenactor had been teaching some schoolchildren about the Royal Navy in WW1, which included teaching them the song Gosport Nancy made famous by Bellowhead. I commented by saying I am debating whether my next performance would be drag or dress, with my drag idea being an RN sailor, that fellow reenactor said "go for it"!

I had never heard of the song Gosport Nancy until then, that I commented on an additional post following from it asking with the attitude of a sea cadet: “permission to take Gosport Nancy as a number for my next drag act?” - which I’m sure the reenactor found funny. This particular song was my 3rd out of 4 numbers since the majority of acts only had at least 15 minutes.

With only a 15 minute act between bands, I had to see how long the running time of my songs would take and see if it would run over; when it comes to festivals, your act must be in your time frame (running under is okay, but I could not run over). Inspired by the second VE Day drag act where I dressed as a sailor, especially with my new HMS Belfast hat I bought off Vinted.

1st Number: Anchors Aweigh

My act was of a nautical theme, although this song is the theme of the U.S. Navy (in other words, the American version of Heart of Oak) and a Hollywood musical from its 'golden age' starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra with Tom and Jerry. As well as the chorus: [🎶anchors aweigh my boys, anchors aweigh🎶], I included another verse popular during WW2 (performed in the video), yet I used a karaoke backing track for Anchors Aweigh to set it with a gender-affirming voice and I have only taken a tap class once when I was 10. I also own a U.S. Navy shirt just like the one the performer in the video is wearing, except its long-sleeved and (I think) it's from the Cold War.

2nd Number: It Serves Me Right by George Formby

George Formby's It Serves Me Right (I Shouldn't Have Joined) is a self-explanatory choice; firstly, it's down to the choice of language which included historical references [🎵 what Nelson told Napoleon upon Trafalgar Day 🎵], secondly a comedic attitude to regretting joining the navy [🎵it serves me right, I shouldn't have joined, it jolly well serves me right 🎵], but the main reason for George Formby was the title of the cinematic episode Bell Bottom George, released in 1943, as sailor's trouser's are called 'bell bottoms' (the bottom of the trouser legs curve inwards and flare out again like the shape of a bell) and the music video has shots of Formby's mess mates enjoying his special ditty and playing on his banjolele (a banjo and ukelele hybrid) - which reminds me, I once taught myself to play the ukelele when my sister bought one and perhaps I could pick it up again (if I still have it somewhere).

This particular George Formby performance took place in 1943 - the same year which the Battle of North Cape took place. With HMS Belfast being one of the cruisers serving alongside HMS Duke of York, I thought I’d add a little pantomime-style audience participation to it; when I mentioned the Scharnhorst, I got the audience to boo (taking at least 3 attempts to get the right energy going).

3rd Number: Gosport Nancy

As I explained earlier, the inspiration to sing Gosport Nancy came from a fellow reenactor educating a bunch of schoolchildren on the Royal Navy in WW1.

Although it’s obvious it's sung in first person from a sailor’s perspective who has a crush on a woman called Nancy from Gosport, the lyrics made a lot of references to naval slang, particularly when it came to hospitality and drinking habits of an ‘honest Jack’.

Bellowhead’s version had great energy, but I preferred this version by Twisted Fiddle; the first thing that got me was the accent and pitch it was sung in which my intuition told me it would be most gender-affirming and has the right amount of attitude. The link is above in the heading if you would like to give it a listen. 😉

Final Number: The Last Shanty (A Sailor Ain't a Sailor Anymore) by Derina Harvey

'Well my father often told me when I was just a lad..." was a line that clicked with me when it came to gender fluidity but the only thing would question is what the gender neutral term for lad or lass would be.

If it's historically accurate enough, I consider this to be a modern shanty about the end of the age of sail, transitioning into the industrial revolution up to the Dreadnought era. I openly welcomed audience participation on the last line of the chorus: a sailor ain't a sailor ain't a sailor anymore.

I did not realise how much I needed to belt as I still wanted to maintain genderfluid vocals but its with the overly enthusiastic energy and trying to sing in a similar way to Derina Harvey as well as sensing the rebelliousness in her voice which is very empowering for women. I was somewhat too focused on trying not to feminise my voice too much and didn’t want to overthink it because it isn’t really worth overthinking your own performance and you want to protect your mental health.

What have I learnt from it?

Well… I sure had a better sound system with a better mic and a sound engineer I shared a Spotify playlist with which with my VE Day performance I had a cheap microphone probably bought off Temu! 🤭

How did I feel? In one word: AMAZING! I’m talking about the post-performance euphoria one feels once it’s over and done with - a sense of relief from nerves yet a sense of achievement that triggers a great release of dopamine!

I could perhaps add more to my costume, such as a sailors tunic that I did have but I cannot believe it was too small for me; I bought it from a militaria fair and thought it was small enough to fit me, (although mens uniforms can be oversized on a female model and it’s worth checking the measurements), I ended up selling it on EBay because one, I didn’t want it to be left as clutter although it may have been worth keeping for living history talks and workshops, and two, what’s the point in keeping something that won’t fit?

The seller I bought it from said the gold anchor sewn on the sleeve is the rank of Leading Seaman after I asked if they knew which rank it was - although a I don’t quite understand why it was so small; I assumed it was for a Boy Seaman (a sailor age 13-18) who did so well in his role he got promoted straight to Leading Seaman, until I got lectured by a prospective buyer on my interpretation of it, who is ex-navy and served in the 1970’s. I could have referred to the poster on ranks and roles on HMS Belfast which I have a picture of for future reference, but I thought I recognised the role (embroidered on the opposite sleeve) as electrics, radar or signalling. My guess was close enough as the AR means Air Radio (A for air and R for radio) and the pointed stripe under the anchor means the sailor would have served for at least four years.

I knew it definitely would not be complete without my HMS Belfast cap which was bought off Vinted (I would never steal from the ship). The ship does have some from previous crew that I would use for delivering workshops as a volunteer, as well as offering to visitors to try it on, along with some other garments.

Here’s the said ‘pork pie’ modelled by Frankenstein.

Considering the performance itself, I got lots of compliments, including from the festival compare and the staff from the charity who organised it. I am slowly but surely discovering my true voice, confronting negative past experiences I had from college lecturers and performing arts teachers who would put me off by criticising and constantly interrupting me to complain or correct me (in other words, without fear of having them stand in front of you or next to you micromanaging or correcting you, and constantly calling out every single mistake or barking down at you with such negative criticism it puts you off).

I am yet again very proud of myself for doing this; although I still have a lot to learn about genderfluid and gender neutral vocal ranges, and that I am still discovering my true voice. I am very much looking forward to what this journey of discovery will bring as a genderfluid costumed interpreter. 😘