David Raven, known as Maisie Trolett and believed to be the UK's oldest drug performer, passed away on Wednesday in Brighton, England. He was 91 years old.
His death was confirmed by his friend Scott St. Martin, whom Raven said he lived in a nursing home.
Raven has been performing as Maisie Trollet for over half a century, wearing a blonde wig, a thick layer of makeup and a long sequin dress, singing songs from old shows and cracking naughty jokes. He was a regular presence at the Brighton and Hove Pride event and became a mainstay on the UK drug circuit, where he became a mentor to young drag queens.
He came out as a gay man in his 20s. (The law was changed in the UK in 1967.) Mr. Raven was popular with the rise of famous British drug performer Danny La Roux, and according to St. Martin, a huge fan of Mr. Raven, he began performing with drugs.
Actor St. Martin, who became friends with Raven in the 1980s, described himself as a “pantomime dam” early in his career. “He always tried to justify that by becoming a professional actor.”
Raven gained fame in the 1960s as half of the drug duo Trolett, along with Jimmy Court, who played as Jimmy Trolett.
“They were kind of slapstick comedians,” said Dave Lynn, a longtime friend of Mr. Raven, who played with him in the 1980s and '90s. “You never knew what was coming from them. Most of them were ad-libbing.”
Raven eventually forked as a solo act, performing as Maisie at charity shows and venues across the UK, and in 1973 he appeared at the first parade of Brighton and Hove Pride, the UK's biggest pride festival.
“Maisie was such a staple,” said Christopher Dennis, known as his drug al ego, La Voic, who met Mr. Raven in the early 2000s. “Everyone knew him, even if you weren't looking at him. You just knew that name.”
Mr. Raven was well known in the drug circuit and in the Brighton where he lived, but little was known about his early life and childhood. Even friends who had known him for decades said he never talked about his past.
David Raven was born He was raised on August 15, 1933 in Cornwall, England by adoptive parents in Norfolk. The most recent family will not survive. His partner, Don Cour, called his “idol” and “other half” in a 2021 documentary, died about 20 years ago from complications of AIDS.
Mr. Raven was an uncontroversial pillar of British drugs, but he took serious effort in separating his alter ego from his daily identity, rebuking the person who called him Maisie when he wasn't a character.
“He came from a very cold background,” Lynn said. “He couldn't become Queen full time.”
Raven continued to work well into the '80s, eventually using on-stage walking sticks. “I can't believe I've been doing this for 50 years,” he said in a 2021 documentary.
Mr. Raven was a peculiar British figure, but he had an American counterpart. Walter Cole is also known as Darcel XV, the American drag queen who won the Guinness World Records as the world's oldest drug performer. (Cole passed away in 2023 at the age of 92.)
In the documentary “Maisie,” two 10th century performers dine together and prepare for a performance in Brighton. Standing next to them, they posed for quips of photos and exchanges, (sometimes dirty) jokes.
Mr. Raven had an evil sense of humor, and his friends described him as “mystery” and “Plankster.” On trips with friends, he terrified them by hiding in his closet or under his bed. In his free time, he especially loved betting in horse racing. Even later in life, when he wasn't enough to leave the house, Raven would ask people to place a bet for him, St. Martin said.
His longevity has influenced young performers, and he has provided deep encouragement to young acts to help the UK drug scene thrive, Lynn said.
“I feel that art has an expiration date,” Dennis said. “And David showed us that there's no expiration date for something great.”
