Photo: Jen Vesp
Review by Jaiden van Bork
The pew-like seats of the Post Office Cabaret have perhaps finally been maximized in their spiritual potential by the new show from musician, actress, composer, and performance artist Bitch, who presents Hey Bitch! every Wednesday this summer at the famed Commercial Street venue.
Indeed, it feels like we are witnessing some kind of ritual when we are welcomed into Bitch’s world—perhaps a ritual we don’t even fully understand, but nonetheless cannot look away from. Hey Bitch! is an energetic, deeply personal, and unapologetically oddball tour through the life and career of the Provincetown icon, who began her career as one half of queercore duo Bitch and Animal, and who would go on to perform alongside the likes of Ani DiFranco and forge a defining solo career of her own.
The electric violin takes center stage in the show—except for when it is briefly and delightfully substituted for the keytar—and Bitch handles it like the master she is, adding hypnotic, deeply textured melodies to her synth-driven backing track that fuses the energy of her punk roots with sleek pop production. The result is something frenetic, campy, otherworldly, and altogether unique.
Bitch commands the stage with ease—only aided on occasion by a stagehand in a beaver costume (whose sudden appearance was a highlight of the evening)—and successfully captures the attention of the audience who frantically scream “Hey Bitch!” on command. The performance feels simultaneously massive and seriously intimate, bouncing back and forth between the atmosphere of a large stadium and a small blackbox theater as Bitch recounts events from her childhood, coming of age, and her music career as an adult.
Although the show does not offer much social commentary that feels particularly fresh or insightful in the current moment, it does permit a charming, nostalgic glance at the bygone era of 90s third-wave feminism during which Bitch and many others experienced their political radicalization. Bitch invites us to consider the more personal side of a life of activism and share in a moment of radical (if naïve) joy.
All in all, Hey Bitch! is actually quite refreshing with its DIY sensibilities, offbeat style, and relentless focus on womanhood amidst a local scene that often caters disproportionately toward men. If you’re looking for something unusual, something that feels beautifully out-of-place even on the rainbow streets of Provincetown, Bitch’s hour-long performance might be just the right thing to brighten up your Wednesday night.
Bitch performs in Hey Bitch! Wednesday nights, 7 p.m. through September 3 at Post Office Café, 303 Commercial St., Provincetown. For tickets ($45 VIP/$35) and information call or visit postofficecafe.net.
