Chorus of Witches

As far as Eric and Gertrude Ford know, their teenage son Colin is off at art school. So imagine their shock and horror when they attend a show at the Palace Theatre and see him take the stage – wearing a dress and wig!


Chorus of Witches is the story of Colin, sexy but heartless, and the two men who love him: Jock, a rough but tender-hearted Scotsman and Alan, a refined older gentleman. It’s also a fascinating look at backstage life at one of Britain’s earliest drag shows, with an unforgettable cast of bitchy queens like Josie, Netta, and Tessa, whose bickering and banter is as fresh and funny as any modern-day drag queen reality show.


First published in 1959 and never previously reprinted, Paul Buckland’s Chorus of Witches is an exciting rediscovery, one of the earliest novels about drag queens and a rare example of an early gay novel with a happy ending.