Digital Transgender Archive

Ringing The Changes (1922)

Drag act Bert Errol is seen in his dressing room - he changes from men's clothes to women's. C/U of Bert in his dressing room. He looks into a hand mirror and primps his hair whilst a woman attends to his dressing table. Bert seems very pleased with the way he looks. He wrinkles his nose. L/S of the dressing room. His assistant brings a large ostrich feather fan. Bert gets up and snatches it from her. A young man rushes through the door presumably to fetch Bert for his stage appearance. They both run out of the room. We then see Bert undressing - he takes of a man's overcoat and suit to reveal a pair of women's bloomers. C/U of Bert's face - heavily made-up. By means of a camera trick (film reversal) we see Bert dressing up as a woman double-quick-time. Items of clothing fly through the air and he catches them. He then walks out of the dressing room in high heels. Bert's wife is his assistant apparently. She stands in the wings and helps him with his quick changes. The man seen earlier holds a mirror up for him while he changes into a bridal outfit. He waves to the camera as he runs off. He then runs back into shot, pulls off the bridal outfit and shoes and dresses up again as a man. C/U of him speaking to camera.