If you’re familiar with Courtney Act you’ll know there are many strings to her bow; on RuPaul’s Drag Race we witnessed a formidable competitor, who sang, danced and modelled her way to the top three of her season. Following this was her appearance on Celebrity Big Brother where we were allowed a glimpse into her humanity, compassion and intelligence.
Whether it’s your first drag show, or you’re a seasoned queen, this is certainly not one to miss.
What many people won’t know however, is that she is also able to masterfully combine all of the above into a fabulous and accomplished show. Courtney appears on the stage, amazed to be doing a show in the daylight and awed that she is able to see all of the audience’s faces for a change. Her presence is immediately affable and charming, as she begins openly talking about her life and experiences, and for the first time, she didn’t have to explain who Ann Widdecombe is. The show itself is a cleverly crafted cabaret, with Courtney singing various covers and many costume changes, but there is something else special that she brings, simply by just being herself.
There’s no denying that Courtney is a very impressive singer, and her choices of songs excellently balanced the show’s material. A few highlights would most definitely be her cover of Valerie by Amy Winehouse (for the Drag Race fans out there, you’ll be gagging at the Miss Vanjie reference), a dash of Madonna and a very sexy medley of some iconic R&B numbers.
Although this was a drag show and there was plenty of camp, innuendos and quick-witted clapbacks to hecklers, there was also a lot of heart and honesty in Courtney’s performance. She told us her story of her ups and downs in love, her gender identity and disdain at the current climate of America. As we saw on Celebrity Big Brother, Courtney has this incredible way of explaining complex issues articulately and easily for anyone to be able to access. This show really heightened what we already knew of Courtney; she’s an extremely talented and intelligent individual and we’re very lucky to have her show at the Fringe this year. Whether it’s your first drag show, or you’re a seasoned queen, this is certainly not one to miss.
