FASHION
Everybody’s talking about
Marking the rite of passage from adolescence to adulthood, school proms have become a cultural phenomenon in recent times.
Back in 2011, 16-year-old schoolboy Jamie
Campbell listened enviously, as his fellow female classmates were giddily trying on evening gowns and talking hairstyles, he felt overwhelmingly disheartened about the prospect of wearing a traditional suit. Whilst venting his frustrations to his mum,
Margaret, she encouraged him to shy away from tradition and instead follow his heart – with Jamie planning on ditching the blazer in favour of a feminine dress and using the opportunity to reveal his drag queen alter ego, Fifi La True. Little did he know that his glamorous red-
carpet entrance at his own school leavers’ prom would propel him into the limelight, setting the stage, quite literally, for an award-winning theatre show depicting his high school heroics story of turning heads and challenging stereotypes. Apprehensive Jamie had endured years of
name calling and homophobic remarks at school and had doubts about the acceptance from his peers when they learned of his passion for drag. But Jamie was not one to be repressed. To
minimise the risk of tension on the night, he contacted Firecracker Films with the idea of documenting his journey which included being turned away from every prom dress shop in the North East to performing in drag for the very first time. After months of trepidation, Jamie, in his glamorous gown, high heels and curly blonde
‘‘The hit show is now set to transition from the bright lights of the West End to the silver screen after being picked up by Sheffield film producer, Warp Films’’
wig, celebrated prom with his classmates who were all in awe of his transformation. The BBC documentary, Jamie: Drag
Queen at 16, proved inspirational to many and helped to drive the conversation forward about gender. Having presumed people would have negative attitudes, Jamie was astounded by the response he received both on the night and from the documentary. “I think that’s ultimately what resonates with
people about my story. Not everybody wants to be a teenage drag queen. Not everybody is going to go to prom in drag. But people do want to be respected for who they are.” By chance, Sheffield theatre director
Jonathan Butterell caught the documentary and was instantly inspired to turn it into a stage show. Six years later and after Jamie had made
the move to London, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie premiered in February 2017 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, selling out its 12-day run. After receiving rave reviews from audiences
and critics alike, the show was picked up by theatre producer Nica Burns who took it to London’s West End. The production won further acclaim and accolades. The hit show is now set to transition to the
silver screen after being picked up by Sheffield film producer, Warp Films. The film is set to be released in 2020 starring Richard E Grant and Sarah Lancashire. Since inspiring such a massive phenomenon
both Jamie and Fifi are embracing every opportunity. Jamie is using the power of his
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story to inspire young people by giving talks in schools and running workshops across the country to promote acceptance, diversity and self confidence as well as promoting good mental health and wellbeing. Meanwhile Fifi la True recently embarked on
her first UK tour, ‘Why Isn’t Everybody Talking About Fifi?’. Although Jamie hails the North-East, as the
theatre show is set in Sheffield and premiered in the city, South Yorkshire has become a second home to him. As part of his drag tour, Jamie worked closely
with Rotherham College fashion students who were given the opportunity to create six bespoke outfits. Jamie encouraged the students to release
their own creativity and have the freedom to experiment with the one-off creations, with the students invited to see the garments in action during the Sheffield leg of the tour. “I’m fortunate enough to have been given
a platform to work with college and university students and it was through a mutual friend and a chance conversation with the Fashion tutor at Rotherham College that we had the opportunity to work together.” There are now plans to collaborate with
media students on a new radio station, Rockingham Radio, which will be broadcast at the college and focus on topics such as mental health and the LGBTQ community. This summer attending Pride Festivals
across the UK will occupy much of Jamie’s time but he has future aspirations to create his own fashion label. Jamie has been amazed by the support and
positivity people have shown to him since being cast into the limelight. He wants to keep sharing his wider message, that people should be brave and confident to be who they are.
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