REVIEW | Reuben Kaye's The Butch is Back!
Written by Cathie
Disclaimer: gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.
Tucked within the Purcell rooms on London Southbank reclines the fabulous powerhouse Reuben Kaye of Edinburgh Fringe fame. With the melodic sweetness of a nightingale and the strength of a honey badger, Kaye delights in bringing his whirlwind of energy into a high octane, irreverent and fantastically over the top drag comedy cabaret.
His cabaret style is as unique as it is fabulous and accompanied by a live band, tells a mix of graphic jokes, biting political commentary, brilliant song and dance, stand up comedy, and witty life advice. There is never a dull moment on stage and Kaye is mercurial and unpredictable enough that you never know what will happen next.
The topics raised in this show vary from the royal family, climate change, British politics and politicians, his dating challenges, Kayes’s coming out story and their family challenges growing up in Australia. It also discusses the rising religious fervor which means he currently cannot return there. He is at turns crude, and outrageous but then at a flip of a coin turns warm, and profound. It results in making the show an intimate rallying cry of pride and self-acceptance.
Although the pacing of this show feels uneven in parts. Kaye himself makes jokes that ‘this show used to be 1 hour, then 90 minutes, then 2 hours’ and jokes that he only starts the show at the 32 minute mark. However, Kaye’s charisma and sheer force of personality manages to propel the show along well regardless.
Overall this show is a huge emotional roller coaster of ups and downs, filled with hysterical laughter, a rallying call of self-acceptance and a proud message of defiance against a far too cruel world. It’s an old adage that all great performers bear their soul on stage but Kaye goes that mile further and rips his out his soul before all. He manages to use his pain and vulnerability to paint a story of breathtaking pathos and beauty. If you need a reminder on how to stay true to yourself no matter what and a genuinely outrageous but insightful political satire seasoned with magnificent Christmas Drag pageantry then I would recommend this slow for you.
At Southbank Centre until 30 Dec.
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
