^{Roxy Pops, Delta Miles, and Qya Cristál shine in Diva!: High Notes, Low Standards at the Post Office Cabaret.}

Review by Steve Desroches

Now in their third year, the drag trio troupe of Qya Cristál, Roxy Pops, and Delta Miles are proving that they are a force to be reckoned with in the jam-packed and storied drag scene in Provincetown with this season’s offering Diva!: High Notes, Low Standards at the Post Office Cabaret. In a world full of discord, the queens of Diva! harmonize not just vocally, but in vibe, presenting a dynamic, uplifting, feel-good show that is as clever as it is fanciful. 

The three amigas have taken the girl group template and put it through a drag prism, creating a fresh incarnation that mixes pop, Broadway, and the very best of Provincetown-style cabaret. In a town where live-singing drag shows are the norm, Diva! stands out as the vocal prowess of Cristál, Pops, and Miles is incredible, and they are wise to toss in a few moments to make it clear they are not lip-synching nor are there any tracks added as padding. Diva! is the real deal.

Perhaps the crowning achievement of Diva!: High Notes, Low Standards is the deep dive the cast, along with writer Jacques Lamarre, went on in creating the show. Not to get too cerebral, as above all else Diva! is a raucous good time full of splashy choreography, numerous, glamourous costume changes, bawdy, but not raunchy humor, and a wonderful pacing that keeps the energy pumping, but this show is aware of the cultural inspirations behind it, which allows them the freedom to put their own stamp on it. That makes for fantastic drag. There are times when the trio is clearly making an offering at the temple of the likes of Shirley Bassey, Joey Heatherton, and 1960s variety shows. And those moments are delicious. But Diva! is also as contemporary as it is nostalgic. A Bob Fosse shake and shimmy to their own interpretation of Beyoncé’s “Texas Hold ‘Em” juxtaposed with a modern take of Cream’s “Sunshine of Your Love” keeps the evening surprising and just plain cool. Note that there is no celebrity impersonation (a great art unto itself), but rather these performers have fully-formed personas that all complement each other well, and each is a generous stage partner to allow time for all to shine. As a group these queens have struck platinum. And as local performers it’s great to see that not only are they able to keep Diva! running until November, but that in addition, Cristál, Pops, and Miles are partnering with Lamarre for a Halloween comedy offering at the Post Office Cabaret in October called Sabrina the Middle-Aged Witch, a spoof of course on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, but rather than about the pitfalls of puberty this is about the morass of menopause. One thing is for sure, Diva! is on fire.

Diva!: High Notes, Low Standards is at the Post Office Cabaret, 303 Commercial St., Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. now through November 1. Tickets ($35/$45) are available at the box office and online at postofficecafe.net. For more information call 508.487.0006.