Sunday, August 11, 2024

Minnesota Fringe Festival 2024: "Mae West's The Drag"

Day:
 9

Show: 29


Category: Comedy / Drama / LGBTQIA+ Content

By: The Feral Theatre Company

Written by: Braden Joseph

Location: Mixed Blood Theatre

Summary: A modern update of play written in 1927 by Mae West, with drag performances!

Highlights: This play feels like it could have been written today, with its modern themes of identity and LGBTQIA+ rights. The story focuses on a closeted gay man named Rolly (Mitch Vosejpka), his wife Clair (Abby Wagner), and their friend Grayson (Zach Sain), whom Rolly has a crush on, but asks to accompany his wife when he's away, as he often is. We also meet the couple's fathers, one of whom is a doctor attempting to covert homosexuals, including Rolly's ex-lover David (Basil Jenkins). A lot happens in 60 minutes, but in the end several of our characters come to terms with who they are and who others are, including Clair, who's given more agency and voice in this re-write. And of course, we have some fabulous drag performances by Chad Burke, Dee Jackson, and Jordan Girard at the drag ball Rolly holds in his home. This nearly 100-year-old play is a find by Feral Theatre, and they've given it nice treatment, bringing it into the modern age while still being a period piece (with beautiful period costumes and set pieces), so that it's both historical and timely. And you still have time to see it - their final show is today (Sunday), the final day of Fringe.