I won’t go so far as to say that a prophet in drag has fluttered, whirlwind, onto the Fringe. But one should not be distracted by the glittery blue lipstick and five inch platform boots and miss the razor-edge observations of love, society and self. This would be as powerful without the drag.
He uses his own vunerability and naïveté to open the door for us. There is a toothy message delivered by this strange creature.
Mr. Mac is obviously a longtime denizen of the New York nightlife. He and his message are probably not Broadway material but perfect for the underground advanced guard, mix the method and message, post-therapy, give me camp with a brain, entertainment seekers. Mr. Mac is striking and tall, even without platforms, bald beneath the wig, and has a surprisingly sweet voice that he mixes with queenly shrieks.
Mr. Mac is so comfortable with his audience that, as during his testament to love called “I loved him”, (wait for it...) he knows just when the audience is ready for the next line. This from a performer whose rapid-fire songs only pause long enough for the audience to catch up or, more frequently, stop laughing. (Breathe) With observations like “nothing is as beautiful as the truth” and “nothing is worth doing if it doesn’t make you nervous” (how true) and “the revolution will not be masculinized”, he’s way past the clichéd and trite.
Most of the material is in song a capella or self-accompanied on the ukulele. His beautiful and frightening encore “There’s nothing to fear but fear itself” took my breath away. ("I'm afraid of politicians and all religions.") There’s been a life lived here.
It's a must see, but not for the tame. Taylor Mac is entertaining and touching. He’s fierce!