Plenty of theatres will be trotting out the size 12 stilettos this season, but the Royal Court’s ‘Wig Out!’ should win the ‘female realness’ category hands down. McCraney’s drama – with its glitterball refractions of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ – is the tale of two drag houses, both willing to sacrifice all their dignity to win every category at the Cinderella ball. The ballroom scene – where sexually marginalised members of the family-like drag houses compete – is seen via a ‘straight’ gay man, Eric (Alex Lanipekun), who’s flamboyantly seduced on the subway by Miss Nina (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett), while a superbly musical silver-sequinned trio of real girls (the Fates) sing the train onwards. The opener sets the tone, as Nina and Eric’s fragile romance is soon drowned out by the sweet-throated cacophony of the scene. At the mostly Latino and black House of Light, Nina is first ‘daughter’. Her ‘mother’ is the legendary Rey-Rey (played superbly by Kevin Harvey in a pink velour sweat-suit à la Paris Hilton and a lip-smacking growl of a voice ironically borrowed from Scarlett O’Hara’s Mammy).
At times, this is a ball: designer Ultz has reconfigured the stage as a runway, perfect for the catwalk showdown hosted by the nasty, white S&M house, Diabolique. But the mirrored stage, which reflects everyone’s peacock flaunting attitudes and razor-thin emotional identities, also reflects a hollowness in McCraney’s play. Despite its acuity and rocking slang, the deeper notes of sadness and substance get chopped before they have a chance to touch you. And Nina’s seedy, scary ‘father’ (Danny Sapani), who expects more from his ‘children’ than a bedtime kiss, is insufficiently challenged. The Royal Court has struggled before to combine its commitment to new, radical writing with Christmas kitsch. Dominic Cooke’s production often dazzles, but its ‘realness’ – the shadow of dysfunction dancing below the divas – leaves you with an uncomfortable aftertaste of broken glass.
AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL!!!!
Did not care a jot about any of the awful shallow characters or their superficial lifes.
One black or gay cliche after another ,
which made me bite my fist with embarrasment, when i could understand what they were saying that is!!!
Could not tell if they were just being camp or acting really badly.
Cannot for the life of me understand why the reviews have been good, a case of emporers new clothes m'thinks.
Was so bad i left during the interval and i aint no pensioner!!!
For me, one of the best things about Dominic Cooke's production of WIG OUT at The Royal Court Theatre was the look of shock on the faces of the poor souls who'd bought £10 Monday night tickets but had no idea what they'd let themselves in for.
Tarell Alvin McCraney's musical tells the story of two rival 'families' of drag queens - 'House of Light' and 'Diabolique', who challenge each other to a Zoolander-esque 'Walk Off'. This is interwoven with several monologues beginning 'My grandmother wore a wig...', coupled with various tales of love and loss amongst the gay and/or drag characters, one of which just happens to be Jerome from Brookside. Hats off to Leon Lopez for breaking away from the mainstream to embrace life in the world of fringe theatre; however it was the tremendously camp Venus (Craig Stein), who stole the show.
Mixed with flashes of homoerotic sexual activity and the ascerbic wit of the frankly rather scary Serena (Billy Carter) during the interval, the fabulous funky music and stunning choreography really stood out in this show. The 3 female characters succeeded in holding it all together effortlessly whilst also managing a quick flash of breast for the dumbfounded straight-men in the audience. It didn't seem to matter much that the American drag-scene style dialogue was a bit hard to follow at times.
Unfortunately, the pensioners sitting behind us didn't quite know what was going on and slipped out quietly during the interval. I overheard someone saying 'This is definitely the raunchiest show I have ever seen'. Quite. But it was a comment from my companion that really summed it up, 'It's like a pantomime with too many dames'.
You can never have too many dames in my opinion. Bring it on.
4/5
Times: Mon-Sat 7.30pm (free post-show entertainment with Bourgeois & Maurice on Thur, and Timberlina & DJ Hey Baylen Tue: 9pm til late Timberlina and DJ Hey Baylen Tue 9-11pm); Sat Mat 3.30pm
3 comments
AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL!!!!
Did not care a jot about any of the awful shallow characters or their superficial lifes.
One black or gay cliche after another ,
which made me bite my fist with embarrasment, when i could understand what they were saying that is!!!
Could not tell if they were just being camp or acting really badly.
Cannot for the life of me understand why the reviews have been good, a case of emporers new clothes m'thinks.
Was so bad i left during the interval and i aint no pensioner!!!
For me, one of the best things about Dominic Cooke's production of WIG OUT at The Royal Court Theatre was the look of shock on the faces of the poor souls who'd bought £10 Monday night tickets but had no idea what they'd let themselves in for.
Tarell Alvin McCraney's musical tells the story of two rival 'families' of drag queens - 'House of Light' and 'Diabolique', who challenge each other to a Zoolander-esque 'Walk Off'. This is interwoven with several monologues beginning 'My grandmother wore a wig...', coupled with various tales of love and loss amongst the gay and/or drag characters, one of which just happens to be Jerome from Brookside. Hats off to Leon Lopez for breaking away from the mainstream to embrace life in the world of fringe theatre; however it was the tremendously camp Venus (Craig Stein), who stole the show.
Mixed with flashes of homoerotic sexual activity and the ascerbic wit of the frankly rather scary Serena (Billy Carter) during the interval, the fabulous funky music and stunning choreography really stood out in this show. The 3 female characters succeeded in holding it all together effortlessly whilst also managing a quick flash of breast for the dumbfounded straight-men in the audience. It didn't seem to matter much that the American drag-scene style dialogue was a bit hard to follow at times.
Unfortunately, the pensioners sitting behind us didn't quite know what was going on and slipped out quietly during the interval. I overheard someone saying 'This is definitely the raunchiest show I have ever seen'. Quite. But it was a comment from my companion that really summed it up, 'It's like a pantomime with too many dames'.
You can never have too many dames in my opinion. Bring it on.
4/5
SO MUCH FUN!!!
Incredible all round performers. Loved it!