There are two things I am not the biggest fan of when it comes to my entertainment: audience participation and politics. And yet, even though Theater J's Electile Dysfunction featured PLENTY of both, I found myself being thoroughly entertained throughout. Which is high praise.
The concept is simple: The Kinsey Sicks, America's premier drag queen beautyshop acapella quartet is running for president. As a corporation, naturally. As a religious, conservative Republican, bible thumping, abstinence promoting corporation, no less. And yes, you're invited to their rally. Which, like all the best rallies out there will include: sing-alongs, mission statements and sporadic audience singling out.
It is a comedy that should play well anywhere this election year, but it almost plays TOO WELL in DC. After all, even those of us who don't treat politics as entertainment, cannot help but be amused by the three ring circus the pre-election circuit has become, and at times, the intended absurdism hits almost too close to home. Sure the songs are jaunty and the outfits are over the top but is the message really all that different than what we ARE, in all seriousness, hearing on television? Probably not. Because of that, the spice on this election cupcake at time feels nearly too spicy.
The ladies themselves do a formidable job. It is just the four of them on stage: the wise, recovering lesbian Winnie, the glamorous, rich immigrant Trixie, the endearingly rough-around-the-edges Rachel (unshaved armpits and (extra cheesy) cheetos in the panties included, and the naive, over-sexed Trampolina. Their patriotic outfits gleaming, the tongue so firmly in cheek it may as well be between teeth, they charge through songs on immigration, employment, STDs, Christianity, youtube exposure and more, all of which are imminently sing-alongable (the kicky Gonorrhea is set to ABBA's "MAMMA MIA" and there are nod to everything from The Supremes to Live Aid) and well executed, and the one hour and forty minutes of the show zoom by zippily, the sugar making the medicine go down a little more easily.
The problem happens as you leave-all the good times aside, you cannot help but feel that, glitter and wigs aside, this story is nowhere near Orwell-in-drag unlikely as it seems. As that unease sets in, and you realize that, SOMEHOW, four drag queens may have just made one of the more poignant (if not subtle at all) political commentaries of 2012, you may just want for November to not be this close by.
THE KINSEY SICKS ARE @ THEATER J THROUGH FEBRUARY 19TH. SEE THEM.
Previously in Play DC:
- 5/9: PlayDC: The Taming of the Shrew @ Folger Theatre
- 5/3: PlayDC: God of Carnage @ Signature Theatre
- 4/25: PlayDC: "Come Fly Away" @ Kennedy Center
- 4/23: PlayDC: "Strange Interlude" @ Shakespeare Theatre Company
- 4/17: PlayDC: The Washington Ballet's Alice (in Wonderland)!
- 4/10: PlayDC: Long Day's Journey Into Night @ Arena Stage
- 3/22: PHOTOS: Behind The Scenes With PETRUSHKA's Puppeteers
- 3/21: PlayDC: Brother Russia @ Signature Theater
- 3/20: PlayDC: 12 Angry Men @ Keegan Theatre
- 3/19: PLAYDC: Ah, Wilderness! @ Arena Stage
God loves a cheerful giver.
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