OBITUARY: David Raven aka Maisie Trollette (1933 – 2025) – Scene Magazine

Born in 1933 in the quaint Cornish town of St Ives, David’s journey from trainee grocer and publican to drag legend was interesting to say the least.

He came out at the age of 26 in 1959, when being gay in the UK was still illegal. A year later, when even a hint of “campness” could get you beaten up in the streets, David took the brave step of moving to London in the hope of finding both himself, and other like-minded people.

That one train journey would be the turning point for David, and the start of his professional drag career. Ever mindful of having a “sensible job”, David found himself working at Selfridges by day and experimenting with his drag persona in the evenings. It wasn’t long before he met James (Jimmy) Court. They quickly realised that they shared the same anarchic sense of humour and interest in drag as an art form. In the months that followed, they worked tirelessly to create their first drag double act, which subsequently won them a talent competition at the Black Cap in Camden Town.

Around the same time, David met his life partner Don Coull. It was actually Don that came up with the stage name The Trollettes. Until that time, David and Jimmy’s drag had been a little dowdy and frumpy. Don suggested that it would give the act a boost if they glammed up a bit, famously adding that they looked like a “pair of trolls”. David and Jimmy thought that was hysterical. The name stuck and The Trollettes were born!

In subsequent years, The Trollettes became the superstars of the drag and cabaret circuit, regularly reducing their audience to tears with their trademark comedic anarchy. They appeared together in pantomime as the Ugly Sisters and they even recorded an album The Trollettes Live at The Cricketers with Lee Paris.

Following an unexpected win on the football pools, David moved to Brighton in the late ’70s. Jimmy stayed in London and the geographic distance between them meant that they were not always so regularly available to perform together. As a result, both Jimmy and David often worked more independently.

David went on to appear as a solo artist and compered many variety shows. He even appeared in his own one man show, An Evening with David, which played several London cabaret rooms, as well as numerous regional theatres. On stage he appeared in the plays The Boys In The Band and One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest. Abroad, Maisie appeared in the Canary Islands, Ibiza, Denmark and as far afield as Thailand, South Africa and Australia. In his late ’60s he became the face of Accurist, the watch manufacturer, with his face on giant posters all over the London underground.

Always the first to volunteer to perform for charity, it was this philanthropic streak that would see David go on to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds throughout this lifetime. He was a founder member and patron of Brighton Cares, and co-founded the Beacon Players with fellow drag artist Dave Lynn, as way of raising funds for the Sussex Beacon. When David’s partner Don passed away from with AIDS-related complications, his determination to raise even more money for the Sussex Beacon became a particular source of pride and purpose for him. Remarkably, he was still supporting and raising cash for the charity when he appeared at the Brighton Dome to celebrate his 90th birthday. This landmark performance saw him acclaimed as the UK’s oldest working drag artist.

Away from the fundraising, David owned and ran the iconic Rowland House guest house in Kemptown, where it’s rumoured some of the best parties in town were often held. Always a savvy businessman, David ensured that he regularly plugged the hotel during his act. In fact, he did it so often that the entire audience could quote his guest house telephone number back to him. Brilliant advertising!

Never one to shirk a little glamour, Maisie afforded David the opportunity to work and become friends with some incredible A-list celebrities. They have included Paul O’Grady (Lily Savage), Danny La Rue, Diana Dors, Colin Baker, Paul Zerdin, Sir Ian McKellen, Craig Revel Harwood, Wendy Richard, Chris Hayward, The Beverly Sisters, Eartha Kitt, Wendy Craig, Billy Pearce, Russell Watson, June Brown, Petula Clarke, Christopher Biggins, Dorothy Squires and Julian Clary, to name but a few.

Always a popular headliner at annual Pride events Maisie represented everything positive and good about the gay community. His lightning fast wit, dynamic voice and stunning costumes ensured that everyone always had a wonderful time whenever he performed. He would revel in the joy of seeing an entire audience singing along or crying with laughter, and although the odd “F” word may have slipped out occasionally on stage, no one ever took offence. The truth is, they were laughing too much to care!

Away from the stage David was a quiet, humble man who had a passion for horse racing. He loved his garden, he loved his friends and he loved the life that he had worked so hard to carve out for himself.

In his latter years, sadly David was diagnosed with dementia. Despite the love and efforts of a close circle of friends who cared for him at home, he was eventually moved from his beloved flat in Kemptown to a nursing home in Brighton, where he passed away on 12th March 2025.

David’s passing has undoubtedly cast a dark shadow over the whole of the gay scene. He was an institution, a legend, and yes, drag royalty. He wanted nothing more than to entertain and to send us on our way with a happy heart. He would not want you to be sad at his passing, but rather remember him fondly, talk of him often and share your memories of him with one another. He would love that.