Danny Beard, the 34-year-old drag performer and winner of RuPaul's Drag Race UK series four, has been confirmed to lead the new play Savage, based on the life of Merseyside legend Paul O'Grady. The play, written by Jonathan Harvey, will debut at Curve Leicester in February 2027 before touring the UK, including a stop at Liverpool's Playhouse Theatre.
Danny Beard on the 'Honour of a Lifetime'
Speaking to the ECHO at the gala performance of Moulin Rouge! The Musical on July 7, 2026, Danny said: "It's such a big role and a big opportunity for me personally. I'm not just a massive superfan of Paul, and of course Lily Savage, but this is a really heartwarming story, and we're going to see a lot of things we didn't know about Paul, unless you've read all of his amazing books."
Danny, originally from Halewood, shot to fame on Britain's Got Talent in 2016 and won RuPaul's Drag Race UK in 2022. He described the role as an "honour of a lifetime" and emphasized the responsibility of portraying O'Grady: "Ultimately I'm playing the role of Paul O'Grady, so I want to make sure I honour Paul and Lily enough so that people feel as though they're getting enough, but also bring the character to life. So it's a fine balance between the two, and I'm very, very honoured and excited."
Meeting Paul O'Grady's Husband Andre Portasio
Danny revealed that he received the script for Savage after leaving the Celebrity Big Brother house in April 2025. Despite being sworn to secrecy, he couldn't contain his excitement and reached out to the writer. After several meetings, he met Paul O'Grady's husband, Andre Portasio.
Discussing the encounter, Danny said: "I absolutely s**t myself is the open truth. But they warmed to me with such open arms, and after I'd read a couple of scenes, I got the vibe that it was going the right way. We have developed a lovely friendship, and I feel so supported and so loved. I just can't wait for the rehearsals to start, and our pre West End dates are selling really well, certainly here in Liverpool and everywhere else we are visiting."
About the Play 'Savage'
The play shares Paul O'Grady's journey from the streets of Merseyside to the heart of London's club scene, where he made a huge name for himself as Lily Savage. Danny noted that the story reveals many unknown aspects, even for superfans.
The UK tour dates for Savage are as follows:
- 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
