After feeling a little dejected about the caliber of theatre I saw yesterday, I knew exactly how to lift my spirits. I would go see the drag musical! What could be more fun or appealing to my diva-loving sensibilities! So, I headed down to DANspace to catch the 5 Minutes of Fame production of Not So Desperate Housewives.
I never watched Desperate Housewives but that did not leave me in the lurch; I became quickly engrossed in watching the “Ladies” of Camel-Toe Lane. Freddie, the workaholic seductress, Connie, sweet and damaged, and Miss. Ginger Otis, the gold digging alcoholic, prepare for wide-eyed ingénue, Goody’s first wedding. It took me a moment to adjust to the fact that there was no dialogue spoken onstage, only a voice over narration executed with precision by Priscilla Love. It does work nicely to create the illusion of a soap opera, and an insular world where the characters are never entirely in control of their own destinies.
The songs are beautifully well selected (I want the soundtrack for road trips!), not only are they all fraught with camp and fun, but they also fit perfectly into the scenes and storylines out of which they emerge. The lip synching aspects of the show were, in general, not as exuberant or filled with as much panache as I was expecting, but there was something sort of lovely about this more subdued drag musical.
Of course, one can infuse this production with all sorts of Feminist and/or Queer theory, as is the case with many drag shows. However, it is obviously not the goal of these Housewives to force anyone to reflect too hard or analyze too much. Still, it seems like no matter who you are, such a show, if only because of its rousing performance of “I Am What I Am” from La Cage aux Folles, you might leave the theatre feeling slightly more empowered than you felt when you came in.
There are several standout moments that are worth mentioning; especially Ginger Otis’ fantastic performance of “Take One Step” from Songs For A New World, here lip-synching perfection was mixed with clear, crisp direction to beautiful result. Connie had a delightful little dance number with “Love Will Keep Us Together.” There’s also a nice homage to Elaine Strich, and a fun ode to Beyonce for the grand finale.
I never watched Desperate Housewives but that did not leave me in the lurch; I became quickly engrossed in watching the “Ladies” of Camel-Toe Lane. Freddie, the workaholic seductress, Connie, sweet and damaged, and Miss. Ginger Otis, the gold digging alcoholic, prepare for wide-eyed ingénue, Goody’s first wedding. It took me a moment to adjust to the fact that there was no dialogue spoken onstage, only a voice over narration executed with precision by Priscilla Love. It does work nicely to create the illusion of a soap opera, and an insular world where the characters are never entirely in control of their own destinies.
The songs are beautifully well selected (I want the soundtrack for road trips!), not only are they all fraught with camp and fun, but they also fit perfectly into the scenes and storylines out of which they emerge. The lip synching aspects of the show were, in general, not as exuberant or filled with as much panache as I was expecting, but there was something sort of lovely about this more subdued drag musical.
Of course, one can infuse this production with all sorts of Feminist and/or Queer theory, as is the case with many drag shows. However, it is obviously not the goal of these Housewives to force anyone to reflect too hard or analyze too much. Still, it seems like no matter who you are, such a show, if only because of its rousing performance of “I Am What I Am” from La Cage aux Folles, you might leave the theatre feeling slightly more empowered than you felt when you came in.
There are several standout moments that are worth mentioning; especially Ginger Otis’ fantastic performance of “Take One Step” from Songs For A New World, here lip-synching perfection was mixed with clear, crisp direction to beautiful result. Connie had a delightful little dance number with “Love Will Keep Us Together.” There’s also a nice homage to Elaine Strich, and a fun ode to Beyonce for the grand finale.
In all, I enjoyed the performances by Kristi Davidson, Heckella Jekyll, Eureka Love and Farrah Moan, and I found the musical to be technically flawless and the clothes and shoes to be beyond divine. I would caution the ladies that it got a bit distracting when they mouthed dialogue to one another that was not provided in the voiceovers, and I would have liked to see a few more big production dance numbers. In all, however, I thought this production was perfect for an uplifting mid-afternoon romp.
Venue: DANSpace. $8.00
Times: Mon Sept 7 at 4:20pm, Thurs Sept 10 at 9:30pm
