by Geoffrey Paddy Johnson on February 28, 2011
Joe the Perfect Man featuring Rachelle Elie (Photo credit: Sandy Nicholson)
Why are so many people repulsed by (and fearful of) clowns? Could it be because the barbaric humor they deploy is played, in part, to mock the audience? Who, after all, but fools would be entertained by such crude gestures and antics? Or is it because those white, white faces, with broadly drawn features, are just plain scary? Rachelle Elie, in her one-woman show, Joe: The Perfect Man, at least spares us the white clown make-up, but everything else about her character’s grotesquely padded physique and appearance is from the classic costume rack: a hopelessly unconvincing grey, curly wig; wide-lens glasses; penciled-on goatee; black taped tooth gaps. Did I mention the loud plaid jacket and wide-striped pants? Yes, settle back folks, because this brand of entertainment will be, well, broad.
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by Geoffrey Paddy Johnson on February 26, 2011
Denmo Ibrahim as Mohamed Hosni (Photo by Wesley Cabral)
Titling a show FUNNY A Trunk Show is perhaps somewhat daring, if not theatrical wishful thinking. Some people’s funny is other people’s camp. So it’s a good thing that Denmo Ibrahim’s one-woman show, just opened in the FRIGID New York Festival, knows what it is about, and blithely transcends its title.
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by Geoffrey Paddy Johnson on February 17, 2011
Justin Bond
They are you know! Almost six inch high heels. In about a size 11. Men’s. (“Are those the Louboutins?”) And Justin Bond, in a streamlined, sequined black leggings ensemble is emerging through that awkward little back flap stage entrance-way at Joe’s Pub for another evening of his winter show run, simply entitled “Justin Vivian Bond”. It’s a softer-looking, even smoother-looking Justin, not the simmering, barely-contained Kiki DuRane persona he is so celebrated for creating, squinting eyes and war paint lipstick. Justin tonight has a touch of pale blue sparkling eye shadow and even a far away look. The lips are almost demurely pink. And the hair is a red swoop, like a protective veil for the pale, angular face. If you look closely (I have a table which is virtually on the stage) you can discern the light covering of powder masking a hint of a blue 5 o’clock shadow.
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