I’ve divided the list of links into uses of Polari (comedy acts, songs, film clips etc) and information about Polari (podcasts, interviews, articles). I’ve loosely tried to order the lists chronologically (to the best of my knowledge). Please contact me at p.baker@lancaster.ac.uk if you have other links to suggest.
Uses of Polari
The Bona World of Julian and Sandy. Several sketches from the 1960s radio series Round the Horne.
Lee Sutton. Drag for Camp Followers. A 1971 recording of Lee Sutton’s drag act. The Polari song Bona Eke starts around 6.47.
Up the Chastity Belt (1971) A scene with a very camp Robin Hood, played by Hugh Paddick: “Bona drag” occurs at 4.23.
Mrs Shufflewick at the Black Cap. Use of ‘letty’ (bed) at 27.38. Mrs Shufflewick (or Shuff), played by Rex Jameson was a much-loved female impersonator who performed at the Black Cap pub in Camden in the 1970s. During my interviews with Polari speakers, Shuff was mentioned several times as using Polari in her act.
Dr Who February 1973 Carnival of Monsters episode 4, The Doctor (Jon Pertwee) talks Polari or “Tellurian Carnival Lingo” to some aliens (starting around 5.16).
Are You Being Served (1977, series 5, episode 4, The Old Order Changes). Young Mr Grace is inspired by American working practices and makes the staff dress and speak more casually, resulting in Captain Peacock surprisingly using Polari, telling Mr Humphreys to get “strides for the omi with the naff riah”.
The Old Bazaar in Cairo. A reworking of the famous song by Phil Starr with a killer Polari line at the end.
Wogan clip Wondering whatever happened to Julian and Sandy? Here’s a heart-warming update from 1987 as Hugh Paddick and Kenneth Williams reprise the roles, and Terry Wogan stands in for Mr Horne. It was the last time the two would perform together.
Piccadilly Palare. Song by Morrissey (1990). “So bona to vada, oh you, your lovely eek and your lovely riah”.
When the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence canonised Derek Jarman Short film by Marco Alessi.
The Velvet Goldmine. (1998) A scene featuring a couple of people speaking Polari.
The Polari Bible. Let there be Sparkle! The whole Bible, translated into Polari.
Putting on the Dish. A short film (2015) by Brian and Karl with all the dialogue in Polari.
Naff Switch. A Polari mash-up by Ida Barr which was subsequently performed at a British Library launch event for Fabulosa in 2019.
Danny the Street – a DC comic strip superhero who is actually a sentient stretch of roadway (!) – (a super-Anglicised version of Danny La Rue) and uses Polari.
Man Eating Typewriter. A whole book written in Polari by Richard Milward. Shortlisted for the Goldsmiths Prize 2023.
The Hammond Conjecture. An alternative history novel by M B Reed. In chapter 11 it has the characters Julian and his friend Sandrine.
Did you know that Queen released an album called Bona Polari? (thanks to Katrin Michaels)
Seaweed in the Fruit Locker Performances by an LGBTQIA+ sea shanty choir who’ve used Polari.
Information about Polari
Heaven Documentary series Gay Life from London Weekend Television (1980) on BFI player. Drag entertainers talk about Polari (around 8.10). The documentary also covers the rise of the leather and clone looks from America.
Bona Queen of Fabularity. 1981 BBC documentary about sea queen and drag performer Laurie Lee. (10.15 onwards, Lol describes how he got his name and then goes on to give a Polari lesson in the different types of queen including two of the lesser-known sub-types blob queen and black market queen).
Storm in a Teacup. This 1993 Channel 4 documentary about gay British life in the 20th century has interviewees Douglas Cave, Jo Purvis, David McKenna and Ron Storme talking about Polari, as well as three Polari sketches set on a top deck of London bus in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.
BBC Voices. Interviews about language with gay men in Nottingham (26.45) and Cambridge (30.30), describing Polari. (The Nottingham one contains the only use of riahry (hairy) that I’ve heard.)
Stuart Feather and Bette Bourne reminiscing about Polari.
Interview with Paul Baker 2016
Podcast on Polari. Interview with Fabulosa’s author, Paul Baker by Helen Zaltzman of The Allusionist.
Folklore podcast on Polari with Paul Baker.
The One Show items on Polari: January 2010 and August 2020.
Polari documentary by Chris Brake
Owain Wyn Evans giving a weather forecast in Polari.
Article for The Conversation on Polari by Paul Baker
The story of Bona Rays (a 1970s punk band whose name came from Polari)
Podcast by Nautilus International on on queer seafarers – Jo Stanley speaking to Robert Murtagh. Polari gets mentioned.
Olly Alexander on Lorraine talking about his 2025 album Polari and the lingo: “Bold palone on the vadavision.”
A very queer code. Paul Baker giving the Darwin College lecture at Cambridge University (2025).
Other links
What’s a Girl Like You 1969 Documentary via BFI player. This doesn’t contain any Polari but covers the late 60s drag scene in London and Manchester, with acts performing on the bar at the Royal Vauxhall Tavern.
Strictly Polari Facebook Group
Paul Baker. Home page of your actual author. Bluesky: @paulari.bsky.social