It would be unfair to categorize A Chorus Queen as simply a drag show. Or, at least, it wasn’t like any drag show I’ve ever seen. My limited experience with drag shows, all attended somewhere along Church Street, late at night, and not particularly sober, has led me to expect numbers with lip syncing, dancing, and a lot of flashy costumes.
A Chorus Queen boasts all these things, along with something I was unfamiliar with when it came to drag: a plot. The show’s sequence of numbers are tied together with the story line of a trio of drag queens — Dede, Veronica, and Tanya — who try and make it big as performers at Paris’ famous Moulin Rouge club. Along the way they encounter a series of trials as the story unfolds in the style of traditional musical theatre — much dancing, much singing, and a whole lot of drama.
By far the best part of the whole show — although the electronic Phantom of the Opera dance number came close — was Mama Rose, portrayed by Farra N. Hyte (or Chantelle Helena Carr). She steals the show every time she walks on the stage, with a particularly amazing bouncing split producing cheers and applause from the audience. Her character is usually accompanied by a group of devoted manservants — and by the end of the show it was safe to say the audience was equally loyal.
If you’re looking for moving and believable acting or a somewhat serious story line, look elsewhere — almost every part of A Chorus Queen is deeply campy and melodramatic. But that’s sort of the beauty of the whole thing — and the musical numbers are great fun. The cast features a talented and fun ensemble and some high-energy dance numbers. Best of all, proceeds from the show go to support the Toronto People with AIDS Foundation — so go for the good cause, and stay for the good time.
A Chorus Queen runs until June 28 at Hart House Theatre.
