In the 1930s, 40s and 50s, Nellie Small was apparently so highly regarded in Sydney showbiz circles, that if a show wasn’t attracting an audience, a catch cry would go out: “Send for Nellie!”

The black, gender queer, cross-dressing performer – who was born in Sydney in 1900 into a West Indian family – was a trailblazing star back then, yet is barely remembered today. Determined to right that wrong, Alana Valentine has written a new cabaret-vaudeville show called Send for Nellie in which she aims to put Nellie back in the spotlight where she once belonged.

Elenoa Rokobaro as Nellie Small in Send for Nellie, Sydney Festival, 2024. Photo © Wendell Teodoro

Co-curated by Valentine and Kween G, directed by Liesel Badorrek and co-produced by Sue Donnelly and Stuart Davis, with Elenoa Rokobaro in the title role, Send for Nellie has its world premiere as part of Sydney Festival.

Sadly, this messy, meandering show never explores who Nellie really was (beyond the bare essentials), why she was in such demand, and why we should care about her now.

Staged at Wharf 1, the front section of the venue is...