The Boys In The Band / The Girls In The Band

To deny that the audience lapped this up would be silly and on that basis it was a five star night of entertainment. Certainly well conceived and in part well executed there was much to commend it. But Mart Crowley’s play is a curious period piece which in a way needs contextualising. Back in the day it must have been a real shocker, now the language and sentiments are almost commonplace. The company did well, for the most part drag acts used to interacting with their audience, here in drama not yet comfortable with the lack of connection and as a consequence losing lines by not allowing us to laugh. That said two players really stood out. Dave Lynn is a seasoned pro so one expected a good performance from him and this he delivered to great effect delivering the part of Michal with reserve and making him all the more believable. The real shock surprise of the evening though has to be Stephen Richards AKA Lola Lasagna. As the ‘straight’ in dire straits he pulled of a major coup, utterly convincing, sympathetic and pathetic too, he really made the role his own and gave the play the gravitas it needs to not be just a squalid orgy of campery and bitchiness.

After the interval they all came back to do their drag acts. I’m no drag fan but I do admire those who can sing live and they almost all do. It was well staged with good production values, Maisie Trollete strutted her stuff with the usual vigor and the audience loved it. I was left cold by Titti la Camp, laughed at Sandra and even felt a few hairs on my arms as Miss Jason gave us ‘Send In The Clowns’. I would say it was a curate’s egg, but then I hear the Church of England is opposed to homosexuality in so many ways.

Theatre Royal Brighton, 22 August 2012

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