The WayOut Club has remained at the top of the tree as a dedicated night for transgendered revelers, and their friends, for the best part of two decades. As Vicky Lee and her girls prepare to pop the cork on their 19th birthday special, with a ‘Supa Show’ of epic proportions, Jason Reid caught up with the founder/host…
Tell us about how you started out, and the early days of the WayOut club?
It all started back in 1993 when I met Steffan Whifield. Steffan invited me to meet him one afternoon at Fortnum and Masons for tea; we clicked immediately and before I knew it we were promoting venues together. We worked for promoter Nicky Price for fourteen weeks running ‘Bolts’ on Sunday nights at the Hippodrome, Leicester Square. We never got paid but we learnt so much.
At the same time I was performing as part of a four piece lip-sync act called ‘Dragmania’. We had to rehearse our show and make our costumes at a sunbed shop on Charlotte Street. One of our customers, Lee Whitby, happened to be the manager of a local wine bar and he came to see our show. After several visits he asked us to promote his Saturday nights at ‘Jamesons Wine Bar’ in Goodge Street. This is where the WayOut brand began. In those days we had a shutter on the door, no licence and we performed on some upturned crates, but we were driven and determined to succeed. We had around one hundred people squeezed into a small venue, and to this day we have never had less than that number.
Over the coming years we moved around to several venues within London before ‘setting up home’ at our current location in 1997. We never imagined it would go on so long, and with such success, but it went from strength to strength, thankfully.
How have things changed for the club since then?
The main thing that has changed is the diversity of our customers. We now have people coming from all around the world to see us, and that wide spectrum of cultures makes for a unique setting and atmosphere. Also, as society has moved on and attitudes have slightly changed, it’s made it easier for the guys to be more comfortable with liking transgendered girls.
We have thousands of people that have attended over the years and almost every week we still have ‘newbies’, who are made to feel very welcome. I start each week by saying “Welcome boys, girls and inbetweenies”.
How would you describe the WayOut Club to someone who’s never been?
The most diverse and comfortable club in the world.
What do you attribute the club’s success to?
Being – and remaining – unique. A lot of other transgendered places are sometimes linked to sex, but we have a strict “no sex on premises policy”. We want everyone to be relaxed, enjoy themselves and not feel intimidated in any way. If you do pick up though, there are plenty of hotels nearby… (Laughs)
So onto the cabaret aspect of the club; tell me what you have lined up for the birthday special?
Well, we have some of our favourite, and much loved, cabaret performers taking to the stage including Supasista, Baga Chipz, Geri Love, Linda Barcardi and many more, along with a few surprises thrown in, of course. There’ll be collaborations from the girls, bubbly flowing and lots of birthday cake.
We’re expecting it to be really busy so get there early, but don’t worry too much as we’ll make room for everyone on this special night.
Can anyone come along?
Everyone’s welcome. As long as they adhere to our golden rule of respecting everyone in the club, of course.
What does the future hold for the club?
We may have to change venues soon, but we do have a few in mind already, including some bigger ones. Apart from that, in the immediate future we have new drag trio ‘The Supreme Fabulettes’ – aka MaryMac, Vanilla Lush, Vicky Vivacious – performing on the 19th May, which I am really looking forward too, and we’ll also be continuing to strengthen our brand and website. The future looks very bright.
• The WayOut Club celebrates is 19th birthday at 9 Crosswall (off Minories, near Tower Hill/Aldgate, EC3N 2JY) on Saturday 14th April. Showtime is 1am.
