Polari Event at the Northern Imperial War Museum

In Focus: LGBT Month (Ideal for ages 16+)* Talk by Dr Paul Barker Sunday 6th February. 2.15pm. Libeskind Room Lau your luppers on the strollers bona: The rise and fall of Polari is a special talk to mark LGBT month by Dr Paul Baker of Lancaster University. Polari was a secret spoken form of language, used mainly by gay men but also connected to stage actors, travelling fairgrounds and entertainers, beggars and prostitutes. It was made popular by Kenneth Williams and Hugh Paddick in the 1960s comedy radio program Round The Horne, who would begin the show by crying "Oh how bona to vada your dolly old eke!" ("Oh how nice to see your pretty face!"). This talk describes where Polari came from, the ways that different words were created, the different reasons why people used it and why it eventually became unpopular.

A Closer Look: LGBT Month (Ideal for ages 14+)* Tuesdays (1st, 8th, 15th), Thursdays (3rd, 10th, 17th) and Sunday 13th February 2.15pm. Meet at the Tour Point in the Foyer A special tour looking at the personal stories of lesbian and gay servicemen, including Jo Kirk who serves in the RAF and Patrick Lyster-Todd who served in the navy.

*The session on Sunday 13th February also includes a screening of the Military Pride film, looking at other stories of gay servicemen.

Visit www.iwm.org.uk/north for details of our daily events and activities

Published: 30-Jan-2011: (448)