We can’t quite believe this fab lil’ Charing Cross boozer is about to celebrate twenty years on the gay scene. Way more than just a halfway point between Soho and Heaven, the bar boasts a mix of friendly regulars, slightly perplexed tourists and is frequented by some of the best cabaret divas Londontown has to offer. Here, we take a moment to salute the bar’s real sense of community by asking some of our fave cockfrockers and regulars why they love Halfway so much…
Rose Garden
I have had so many fun, drunken nights with loads of friends over the twenty years. When Terry Tucker took over the management all those years ago and welcomed the gays, who knew it would still be going? I have been so drunk there that I’ve had sex in every part of that bar! Now Karl is at the helm and it’s going from strength to strength. I look forward to a lot more fun… and tons of sex! Halfway is the jewel of the West End. Can I have a pay rise now, Karl?
So many things have happened since CK Sunday’s humble beginnings. Performing to two men and a dog… they’re still regulars by the way! I have to say my funniest moment was also the most painful! It occurred just after Russell left us and Karl was on his first week as Manager. I like a big entrance when I sing ‘Don’t Rain On My Parade’, so I sent myself to the top of the fire exit stairs. Crystal whips the crowd into a frenzy and I make my entrance, as if I’m at the Royal Albert Hall! Tried and tested, it always went off without a hitch… NOT THAT DAY! Trying my best to impress management I stepped out and missed the first stair then bounced, knees first, down the other ten with a carpet slide finish. The room erupts with applause and, of course, I finish the whole song. Thinking I’m fine, I look down to my knees to see the horror of bloody tights mixed with skin and carpet. I scream and get whisked into the dressing room for a large Vodka!
If I had to choose my favourite moment it would be Christmas 2010, with the Snow Machine on full blast, Kelly and I trying so hard to hold it together for ‘Suddenly Seymour’ whilst covered from head to toe in snow foam. And the discovery that the machine really did have multi settings at the very end of the show, everything, including my vodka, had a healthy covering of snow that year.
Halfway is just a joy to work at, hand on heart, every artist that works there will tell you so. But one memory that I have to mention is when whilst celebrating my birthday and performing with my dear friend Jamie [aka Miss Fit] with my legendary pink designer mules, from Red or Dead, which I have worn for years and clash with every outfit! Well, on said night, the left one just snapped in half! I was mortified so much so that I put them on the shelf during a performance and dedicated a power ballad to them! The audience was in tears, as was I!
One time that I will never forget is when I was on stage performing Black Lace’s ‘GangBang’ when, all of a sudden, a big massive Great Dane runs through the bar and jumps up me on stage! I felt like that fat bird from ‘East is East’! The other girls call me Velma from Scooby Doo now.
[Manager/Ringmaster]
Halfway to Heaven’s annual Bus Run is always a laugh! Eight hours travelling through the streets of London on a double decker bus to various gay bars with a gaggle of drag queens falling all over the place. Some people leave as men and return as women; various people find new relationships in toilet cubicles. And certain drag queens take other buses for ransom! The look on the general public’s faces is priceless!
Oh I walk away with a story from Halfway every Saturday; Charlie [the barmaid] always makes sure my glass is more than half full. There was the moment where I performed my erotic striptease to a room full of Halfway regulars chanting ‘Keep ‘em on, keep ‘em on!’ at me. I’ve often led the room in a collective lip sync to Charlene’s ‘Never Been to Me’ at the end of the night, and the final Drag Idol Heat was a scream, with everyone on stage doing the ‘Time Warp’. But I think I really outdid myself at Pride this year when I was due to follow Mrs. Moore onstage. Whilst waiting for her to wrap up her set I sat in the ‘wings’ with a bottle of gin and a pint glass. By the time Mrs. Moore was done I could barely stand, forgot the words to ‘Oomp-Pa-Pa’ and then had a lie down in the dressing room. Karl’s lucky to have me.
[Rose’s good lady wife]
Well my favourite/funniest/most drunken memory from H2H must be Rose Garden’s birthday about two years ago. We went down for CK Sunday and Karl gave Rose a lovely birthday cake from everyone at Halfway. Normally everyone would share their cake, but no, I stole it and hid it in my pink flowery shopping trolley. Why I had the trolley in Halfway’ I do not know. The worst thing about it? That there are pictures to prove it! I LOVE being drunk at H2H.
My funniest memory of Halfway’ was on my 23rd birthday this year. My whole family came to see me including my Dad and my 75-year-old Nan. Being the generous crowd that Halfway’ are, I got sooooo drunk I got a straight man on stage and got his cock out. My Nan’s face was a picture and all of Halfway’ tried to cover her eyes… but she wanted to see more!
• Don’t miss Halfway II Heaven’s birthday celebrations starting on Sunday 20th November and running for the whole week at 7 Duncannon Street, Charing Cross, WC2N.
