Review by Mia Phillips
Despite being on a weeknight at 10 p.m., Illusions brings to the stage endless amounts of energy. From start to finish the performers: Lakia Mondale, Billie Jean, Payton St. James, and Kira Stone don’t allow for even one dull moment. The hour-long run time includes a combination of group numbers and solos, and no two sequences are the same.
The show opener brings the audience to church; the queens are wearing matching nun costumes and the silly—yet professionally in sync—number sets the tone for the wild ride ahead. For her first performance, Kira Stone embodies Joan Crawford in a Mommie Dearest inspired lip sync. She gives audiences a glimpse into Christina Crawford’s childhood as Stone playfully reprimands her willing victims. Later in the hour, Payton St. James changes the category to musicals in her well-executed version of The Sound of Music. Puppets make an unexpected and charming appearance and it’s a highlight of the act. Next up, Billie Jean blends comedy and lip sync as she serves up Madonna – both the pop star and the biblical figure—in her “Like a Virgin” and “Papa Don’t Preach” number, while donning a third-trimester pregnancy. Lastly, Lakia Mondale shows off her post-metamorphosis transformation in eye-catching LED butterfly wings. Set to the song “Butterfly,” her performance is nothing short of magical. In total, the show includes two group numbers and eight solos. It’s well worth the effort of leaving the house on a Tuesday or Sunday night to attend this show.
Illusions is Provincetown’s longest running revue, over 30 years and counting. It’s a great PG-13 show for families to attend, if you don’t mind mild expletives. Also, if you’ve never been to a drag show before, this is a great place to start. I wouldn’t recommend sitting front row or on the aisle unless you are prepared to have an up close and personal interaction with one of the performers. As St. James states in her opening monologue, the queens are ready to pounce on any available and especially uncomfortable victim. The emcee, she leaves no room for uncertainty when explaining the rules and customs at a drag show to prepare those with little to no experience. Her crowd work is engaging, quick, and perfectly offensive.
Maybe it’s because the emcee is so animated, personable, and overly friendly in a biting way; or maybe it’s because the show begins at 10 p.m., but the audience this show attracts feeds off the energy of the performers. This makes the experience vivacious and lively; you’ll leave feeling a connection to those you experienced the show alongside, whether they are a stranger or a friend. Illusions is fun, high-energy, and campy; this is Provincetown drag at its best.
Illusions is performed at Post Office Cabaret, 303 Commercial St., Provincetown, Sundays, 10 p.m. and Tuesdays, 8:30 p.m. through September 14. For tickets ($39/$44 VIP) and information call 508.487.0008 or visit postofficecafe.net
