Avril A: Housewife Superstar

By day, Avril Eventhal was a suburban housewife in North Manchester's Orthodox Jewish community. By night, she was the fabulous Avril A, a larger than life cabaret performer who became a legend in Manchester’s gay scene in the '80s and '90s. Avril found a loyal audience in gay venues across the country and was adored for her outrageous live shows, Hi-NRG records and eccentric home movies. She celebrated her unconventional style, finding joy and space for creative reinvention with the queer community.

Avril died in 2017, leaving behind a massive archive of material documenting every aspect of her career in songwriting and performance. The images at the bottom of this page are a selection from the archive which includes posters, gig flyers, studio mastertapes, live footage, promo videos, press coverage, photos, lyrics, fan mail and Avril's correspondence. Check out Avril's YouTube channel to view footage of her live shows and highlights of her eccentric films.

I've been cataloguing and researching this material and am working on various projects to bring Avril's extraordinary career to a wider public, including a record launch, documentary film and exhibition.

If you knew Avril - saw her perform, worked with her in the studio, shared a stage with her please get in touch. I'd love to hear from you!

“I’m not caviar love, I’m beans on toast."

Avril, interviewed in Gay Life magazine, June 1987

Avril A record

In collaboration with the record label Memory Dance we are bringing Avril A's music back to life with a compilation album featuring all of the songs that made her an icon, as well as rareties, early recordings and interview footage with the legend herself.

AVRIL A: HOUSEWIFE SUPERSTAR was released in September 2025 on limited edition vinyl and as a digital download. You can buy your copy here. Read the press coverage here.