C.D. | Laneway Lounge | Jan 31 | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Gendermess Productions ‘C.D.’ is a minimalist showcase of drag performance by local artists Ginava and Vaboux. The show set out with a mission to use “just the bare essentials of a box, the power of the lip-sync and the illumination of stage lights”, and so they did – to the most incredible end.
Throughout the show, Ginava and Vaboux alternate between short lip-sync performances, donning simple yet striking outfits that transformed each character without the need for a change of make-up. Both performers wore simple make-up, a white face with dark lips and a sharp contour.
Both performers managed to sell each new character perfectly, without the need for a new face or an outrageous costume. Ginava and Vaboux both have an incredible emotive performance style, shifting the entire mood of the room with ease as they launched into each new spot.
The spots ranged from vulgar parody songs, to stirring renditions of infamous cinema monologues; from interpretations of outdated public service announcements from the United States to modern pop. My personal favourite would have to be Ginava’s rendition of the crazed ‘God Warrior’ monologue that became an internet sensation after it aired on USA’s ‘Wife Swap’. Ginava sells crazy better than the ‘God Warrior’ herself, exuding pure insanity in a simple black dress.
I could wax lyrical about this performance for paragraphs more, but I would be remiss if I just recited the entire set. The essence of this performance is the mood, the emotional power that Ginava and Vaboux are able to exert with their facial expressions, body language and movement is absolutely extraordinary. This show is absolutely everything I love about the art of drag and more. So listen to Trixie Mattel, support your local queens. Perth is lucky to have these two great talents in our backyard.
Catch the final performance of C.D. at Laneway Lounge on Sunday January 31st. Tickets available from Fringeworld.com.au.
Gendermess Productions other show, MÂCHÉ: A Drag Showcase (also featuring Ginava and Vaboux), was nominated for the Best Cabaret award for Fringe World 2016.
A special encore performance of MÂCHÉ will be held on Friday 12th February in the De Parel Spiegeltent. Encore tickets are not yet available online, so click here to find your nearest Fringe World box office.
Leigh Hill
Edit: This article was updated to include details of the upcoming encore performance of MÂCHÉ.
