The Powerhouse, Brisbane
Saturday February 13, 2016 :
Courtney Act found fame by being the first drag queen to ever compete in singing show Australian Idol, and found International fame as a contestant of RuPaul’s Drag Race. She is talented, beautiful and has a better set of legs than most girls. Tonight she is joined on stage by Trevor Ashley, star of stage and screen – most recently a starring role in the stage production of Le Misrables.
Entering the stage dressed like two glittering Marilyn Monroe reincarnates, the two bounce off each other with perfect comedic timing, right down to where they rip off their long dresses for a rendition of Beyoncé’s ‘Single Ladies’ much to the amusement of the crowd.
The show covers the world of drag in a new light, removing it from lip syncing in clubs to a more rounded show featuring comedy skits, original numbers and covers of some much loved favourites, including a touching rendition of ‘If I Were A Boy’ that is almost melancholic and a reflection of what it is like to be a drag queen, posing the question that remains unanswered : Why.
With the movie skit spoofs in between the costume changes the show manages to maintain momentum throughout. Cranking up a gear when the two come out dressed as Evangelical sisters to ‘Pray the Gay Away’ the crowd are in stitches. When it seems like things can’t get funnier they climb into the audience to select a hapless young man to exorcize his gayness. Apparently the devil is in his nipples it is discovered upon removal of his shirt. If it wasn’t so funny it might be just a little of truth cutting in there, with the LGBT community vs. The Church in the gay rights movement. As they say – No Truth, No Shade.
The two talented performers really know how to engage an audience and deliver laughs the entire 75 min set, with the variety they present and the professionalism they perform it with. The show being geared to Aussie audiences with it’s unique humour makes for an all round enjoyable experience. Comedy shows like this are the new face of drag, where talent counts for a whole lot more than just lip synching and looking pretty. Courtney and Trevor deliver all that and more in this evenings performance.
Review and Photography: Amanda Starkey
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