Polari came about in the 40's/50's so that gay men could communicate with each other without drawing the attention of the law, because homosexuality was illegal back then.
Polari originates from the theatre and showbiz world but then, as today, showbiz and homosexuality were pretty much one and the same thing.
Polari came to mainstream attention during the 60's thanks to the weekly radio antics of the comedy programme 'Round The Horne' with the characters 'Julian and Sandy' played by Kenneth Williams and Hugh Paddick.
It began dying off within the gay community at large during the 70's and 80's. There was an atempt to revive it in the late 90's but this, on the whole, failed.
Nowadays it is mostly spoken by older gay men. I, of course, am fluent. Not that I'm old, naturally.
"Ooooooh, bona to vada your dolly old eek dear!"
Last edited by Raymond on Sat Oct 17, 2009 9:48 pm; edited 1 time in total
Such a sad little man. It was a shame he couldn't be as happy as he made other people.
But then most of the best comedians were as miserable as sin in their private lives.
Frankie Howerd was a depressive and apparently Tommy Cooper was constanly suicidal.
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