There’s a particular kind of energy backstage just before a drag show begins. It’s not loud. Not yet. It hums quietly in the background - in the rustle of costumes, the last-minute checks, the music waiting to start. It’s the kind of moment that holds both calm and anticipation at the same time.
That’s where I find Dave Lynn, getting ready to step on stage at Legends Bar. No rush, no chaos - just a steady presence built from decades of doing exactly this.
And yet, even after more than fifty years in drag, the nerves are still there.
“I still get nervous", Dave tells me. “Not ill nervous, excited nervous".
It’s not something you necessarily expect to hear from someone so established, so deeply woven into Brighton’s drag scene. But the more we talk, the more it makes sense. The nerves haven’t disappeared - they’ve evolved. They’ve become part of the connection between performer and audience, the spark that keeps each show alive.
Click below to watch part 1 of our interview with Dave Lynn:
Liran Notik in an interview with Dave Lynn, Part 1
A Career Built on Change
One thing becomes clear almost immediately: Dave Lynn does not stand still. In a world where many performers rely on the same routines night after night, Dave has taken a different path. Each show is shaped, adjusted, refreshed. New songs come in. Old ones are reimagined. Costumes change. The tone shifts depending on the audience, the moment, the mood.
“If I didn’t change it, I think I’d lose interest in it", Dave says.
That might sound simple, but it’s the foundation of a career that has lasted decades. Reinvention isn’t a strategy - it’s a necessity. And it’s not just about keeping things interesting for the audience. It’s about staying engaged as a performer.
“You’ve got to enjoy what you’re doing", Dave adds. “If you don’t enjoy it, they won’t enjoy it".
That relationship between performer and audience - that exchange of energy - is something Dave clearly understands on a deep level.
The Beginning: Before the Spotlight
Like many performers, Dave’s journey into drag didn’t start with a grand plan. It began with curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to explore.
“I used to dress up at home", Dave recalls. “Try things on, see how it felt".
There’s something almost comforting about that image - the idea that even someone with such a long and visible career began in a private, personal space. No audience. No expectations. Just exploration. And then came the moment of telling family.
“I think I told my parents I was going to do drag before I told them I was gay".
It’s a line that carries both humour and truth. But what follows is what really matters.
“My mother said, I don’t care what you are, who you are. I love you".
That acceptance - immediate, unconditional - shaped everything that came after.
For many LGBTQ people, those conversations don’t go that way. But for Dave, that foundation of support created something powerful: freedom. The freedom to explore identity without fear, to build a career without hiding, to step onto a stage as a full version of himself. “That was all I needed", Dave says.
Click below to watch part 2 of our interview with Dave Lynn:
Liran Notik in an interview with Dave Lynn, Part 2
A Jewish Identity on Stage — Without Compromise
What makes Dave Lynn’s performances stand out isn’t just the longevity or the polish. It’s the honesty. There’s no separation between who Dave is and what appears on stage. The performance isn’t a mask - it’s an extension.
And a big part of that identity is Dave’s Jewish heritage.
“I love being Jewish”, Dave says. “I come from a really happy, warm Jewish upbringing”.
That warmth is something you can feel in the way Dave speaks about family, culture, and tradition. It’s not presented as a statement or a theme - it’s simply part of the fabric of the show. Songs like 'Hava Nagila' aren’t included for novelty. They’re included because they belong.
“I’m going to keep singing the song", Dave says. “It’s a happy song".
There’s something quietly powerful in that choice. In a time where identity can often feel politicized or scrutinized, Dave’s approach is refreshingly simple: celebrate it.
“Be proud of who you are and everything about you".
It’s not delivered as a speech. It’s just how Dave lives - and performs.
The Emotional Layer of Performance
While Dave’s shows are filled with humour, music and interaction, there’s another layer that runs underneath - something more reflective. Years of performing, of connecting with audiences, of living through different eras of LGBTQ life, have created a perspective that goes beyond entertainment.
“You’ve got to have a heart", Dave says. “That will keep you working longer than anything".
It’s a line that stays with me. Because it speaks to something deeper than talent or technique. Heart is what allows a performer to connect. To adapt. To remain relevant not by chasing trends, but by staying real. And it’s what audiences recognize, even if they can’t always put it into words.
Love, Life, and Defying Expectations
Away from the stage, Dave’s life story continues to challenge assumptions. Married to partner Tamzin for over twenty years, the relationship doesn’t fit into easy definitions - and that’s exactly what makes it work.
“We are still the best of friends", Dave says. “She's my soulmate".
There’s a calm certainty in the way Dave speaks about her. No need to explain, justify or label. Just a recognition of connection. It’s a reminder that love, like identity, doesn’t always follow the paths people expect it to. And perhaps that openness - that refusal to be boxed in, is part of what has allowed Dave and Tamzin to navigate both life and careers with such resilience.
The Future of Pride and Community
As the conversation turns towards Pride and the wider LGBTQ community, Dave reflects on how much has changed - and how much still needs to evolve. There’s an awareness that different parts of the community sometimes move in separate directions. Different identities, different experiences, different priorities.
But Dave’s hope is simple.
“I’d like us all to be together. All minorities, everything".
It’s not about ignoring differences. It’s about recognizing shared ground. And alongside that comes a message for those who may still be figuring things out - those who might feel unsure, hesitant, or not quite ready to step into visibility.
“Be proud of yourself", Dave says. “Don’t hide things".
There’s a pause before Dave adds: “I did that when I was young, and that’s quite painful".
It’s one of the few moments in our conversation where the tone shifts slightly - not heavy, but honest. A reminder that even someone as confident and established as Dave has experienced that journey.
A Relationship With the Audience
Back in the venue, Legends Bar, the atmosphere begins to shift. The audience is arriving, drinks in hand, conversations building. The energy is rising, and for Dave, this is where everything comes together.
The preparation, the experience, the nerves - they all lead to this moment of connection. Because for all the talk of costumes, songs and routines, what Dave Lynn really offers is something else entirely. A shared space.
A place where people can come together, laugh, recognize parts of themselves, and feel - even briefly, that they belong. That’s not something you can script. It’s something you build over time. Over years. Over decades.
More Than Just Drag
As I watch Dave prepare to take the stage, it becomes clear that this isn’t just about performance. It’s about presence. It’s about showing up, consistently, as yourself - and allowing others to do the same.
Dave Lynn doesn’t try to be everything to everyone. There’s no attempt to fit into trends or chase relevance. Instead, there’s a quiet confidence in simply being. And that, perhaps, is what has kept audiences coming back for so long.Not just the humor. Not just the music. But the honesty.
The Show Goes On
As the lights dim and the music begins, the room shifts into performance mode. The anticipation gives way to energy, to laughter, to applause. And just before stepping on stage, there’s that moment again - the nerves, the excitement, the spark.
“I still get nervous". After fifty years, that hasn’t changed. And maybe it shouldn’t.
Because it’s that feeling - that connection between fear and excitement, that keeps the performance alive.
That keeps it human. That keeps it real. Dave Lynn isn’t just part of Brighton’s drag history. Dave is part of its present - and very much its future. And as long as that stage is there, and that audience is waiting, it’s safe to say one thing: The show is far from over.
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