A new comedy about the life of Paul O'Grady's alter ego has been announced, with a fitting name taking on the lead role. Inspired by the life of the TV personality, and created with his blessing, Savage is a "bold and deeply moving" new play, making its world premiere in 2027 at Curve Leicester, prior to London's West End.
The Story of Lily Savage
Written by multi-award-winning Jonathan Harvey, the show follows Paul's journey from the streets of Merseyside to the heart of London's club scene, where, armed with little more than his wits and a wig, he began carving out a place for himself. Before the spotlight, there was a working-class boy from Birkenhead with a sharp tongue, thick skin and something to say. From humble roots and an unassuming start emerged Lily Savage: the fearless, foul-mouthed alter ego who would defy convention and win the hearts of millions.
Starring Danny Beard
Starring RuPaul's Drag Race UK winner Danny Beard, from Halewood, in the title role, and directed by Nikolai Foster, Savage combines "razor-sharp wit, unexpected tenderness, and plenty of peroxide, in an intimate portrait of a singular talent and the world that made him."
Paul O'Grady's Journey
While working in London, Paul made his first appearance as Lily Savage at a gay pub in Camden back in 1978. Basing Lily on traits found among his female relatives, her debut performance at The Black Cap involved miming the words to Barbra Streisand's Nobody Makes a Pass at Me. But despite Paul describing Lily as "a creature that was more cartoon than human," he found little work in London and so as part of a two-man drag mime act, the Playgirls, he toured around the North of England.
After the pair went their separate ways, Paul continued to perform as a solo act for a while until mass unemployment crippled the country and left him with no other option but to move back in with his mum in Birkenhead. Paul returned to London as a barman at Vauxhall gay pub, the Elephant and Castle in 1984.
Lily's Rise to Fame
Every Tuesday, Lily would make an appearance to host 'Ladies Night', where amateur drag acts would perform. Here, he dabbled with hosting and he tried his luck at comedy routines. Unsurprisingly, he quickly became known for his quick wit and insulting both the acts and the audience. Paul then revamped his show to the 'Stars of the Future' and took it to the nearby Royal Vauxhall Tavern (RVT) gay pub every Thursday. When Paul got his own flat, he quit his work and began focusing on his career as Lily full time, taking her across the country and abroad.
Lily's Impact
At the time, Lily spoke out on issues affecting the LGBT+ community, having marched against Section 28 and regularly holding fundraisers for HIV/AIDS research. Lily began to release VHS videos of her performances and at one stage, it was hard to escape her.
Savage UK Tour Dates
- 13 February – 6 March 2027 – Leicester Curve
- 16–20 March 2027 – Liverpool Playhouse
- 23–27 March 2027 – Salford Lowry
- 30 March – 3 April 2027 – Canterbury Marlowe
- 6–10 April 2027 – Bath Theatre Royal
- 13–17 April 2027 – Norwich Theatre Royal
- 20–24 April 2027 – Birmingham Hippodrome
Tickets begin at £17 and go up to £51.
