The Vivienne has died aged 32
Monday, January 6, 2025
The drag artist was due to perform in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang on tour until March this year
James Lee Williams, better known as drag artist and stage performer The Vivienne, has died at the age of 32. They had been scheduled to play the Childcatcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang until 23 March this year as part of the show’s UK tour, sharing the role with Charlie Brooks.
Born in Wales, The Vivienne gained recognition as the UK drag ambassador for the US series of RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2015. They went on to win the first UK series of the show in 2019, and later appeared in the seventh ‘All Stars’ season. They were a finalist in the UK series of ITV’s Dancing on Ice in 2023.
The Vivienne at the London premiere of Wicked: Part One (image credit: Universal Media)
Prior to the new production of Chitty directed by Thom Southerland, which opened at the Mayflower Theatre, Southampton in April last year (see our review in the June/July issue), The Vivienne starred as the Wicked Witch of the West in the revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Wizard of Oz, which toured from December 2023 and concluded with a residency at the Gillian Lynne Theatre last summer. The Vivienne shared the role with Craig Revel Horwood, who posted a tribute to the performer on his Instagram page: ‘What devastating news. You are so well loved by the entire Wizard of Oz company. You were a real rising star in the British theatre world.’
The Vivienne as the Childcatcher in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (image credit: Paul Coltas)
When Musicals magazine spoke to Aviva Tulley, who starred as Dorothy, for 'Countdown to Closing Night' (August/September issue), she told us how much she enjoyed working with The Vivienne, describing them as ‘very inclusive’ and ‘a team player’.
Tributes have continued to pour in from fellow performers, including Rob Madge, who described The Vivienne as ‘a formidable entertainer’, and incoming Sally Bowles Marisha Wallace, who spoke to them just days before they died: ‘At a loss for words,’ she wrote on her Instagram. ‘You were not of this earth with all your talent and kindness. We will miss you.’
