Dulcie Du Jour, the stage persona of Jeff Dycer, has been remembered by Victoria’s LGBTQ+ community after passing away peacefully surrounded by family just over a week following their 77th birthday. For more than three decades Dulcie was a constant presence on Melbourne stages, and after retiring in 2012 Jeff and their partner Collin relocated to Mildura to run a flower shop. Since stepping back from regular performances, Dulcie emerged only for select celebrations, but the memories of those nights remain vivid for audiences, colleagues and the many people who benefited from their charity work.
Early steps and the building of a persona
Dulcie Du Jour began performing in the early 1980s at Dukes Bar in Abbotsford, developing a distinctive blend of comedy, commentary and camp. The act drew attention across the city and beyond, with one of Dulcie’s best-known contributions being the much-loved Dulcie’s Dog Show at the Midsumma Festival. Across venues such as The Laird (including collaborations with Tex) and a sustained three-year season at the Xchange Hotel, Dulcie refined a stagecraft rooted in audience connection. The term drag, as used by performers and scholars, describes a theatrical mode that Dulcie embraced to create characters, tell stories and reflect community life.
The DT’s Hotel residency and wider stage career
DT’s Hotel in Richmond became the centrepiece of Dulcie’s later career. Jeff first worked at DT’s in 1996 as the chef in the little diner that later gave way to the dressing room; soon after, Dulcie began a Saturday night slot that lasted some 16 years. The residency was more than a gig: it was a weekly ritual where crowds came to hear Dulcie’s take on current events, local gossip and politics. Patrons joked that they could skip the morning paper because Dulcie would deliver the week’s headlines with an irreverent twist and a punchline to match.
Stagecraft and signature lines
Dulcie’s act balanced sharp satire with warm crowd work; she made sure people left smiling. Her onstage banter mixed practical advice with bawdy humour, and she frequently used the microphone to air a cheeky opinion or to lampoon public figures. While political satire was a staple, Dulcie also took pride in engaging in community fundraising and working alongside civic leaders and entertainers. The style could be brash, and Dulcie admitted that strict political correctness was not always her compass, but she used humour to make a point and to rally support for causes close to the queer community.
Community work and recognition
Beyond laughter, Dulcie invested time in charity and community initiatives. Over the years they hosted and performed at auctions and benefit events, sharing stages with figures such as John Brumby (then a prominent Victorian politician), Judith Durham, Denise Drysdale and Elspeth Ballantyne. Those efforts were acknowledged with several honours: a Victorian AIDS Council community service award, three Rainbow awards and a Drag Industry of Victoria (DIVA) award. These accolades reflected Dulcie’s role not only as an entertainer but as an organiser and fundraiser who helped sustain important community services.
Mentorship and artistic influence
Dulcie’s influence extended into the visual arts. Decades ago, a young artist, Paula Hyland, encountered Dulcie at The Peel, and that meeting opened Hyland to the backstage life and character work that define drag portraiture. Hyland’s first drag queen exhibition in 1995 included a portrait of Dulcie; the artist titled it Our Lady of the Flowers, a name that amused Dulcie, who quipped that she was never much of a lady. That relationship between performer and painter helped document a scene that might otherwise have been overlooked and inspired subsequent projects celebrating drag culture.
Farewell and continuing legacy
When Dulcie announced a farewell on JOY 94.9 in 2011, they reflected on a career that had grown organically, describing it as a joyous, unexpected journey. Retiring in 2012 allowed Jeff to focus on life in Mildura, but the community continued to mark the performer’s contributions. DT’s shared condolences on social media, noting their thoughts were with Jeff’s and Collin’s family, friends and both past and present colleagues. As friends, fellow performers and audiences remember Dulcie, the legacy remains: a mix of sharp wit, heartfelt fundraising and a stage persona that helped shape Victoria’s queer cultural history. Rest in peace, Jeff Dycer, the fabulous Dulcie Du Jour.
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