From the creators of Dizney in Drag comes Villains: A Dizney in Drag Parody. This time, we focus on the seemingly forgotten misunderstood characters of fairytales: Villains. Following the same storyline set up of the 'hero' on a quest with the help of the Hairy Godmother to find out who they really are, we see how Ville; a despicable weak individual who wants to be evil transforms from weakling to feared villain. With many recognisable characters along the way, we also get a parody of well known Disney songs with a twist to make it more comical and 'dragged' into the spotlight.
A fun, sexy and charming show
Compared to when I last saw Dizney in Drag, it is lovely to see the Hairy Godmother quicker with the visual gags of what she can bring out from under her numerous dresses. This has really added a more focused element to the story that unfolds without distracting too much. However, as a collective, they seem to be thrown easily by unexpected occurences; such as the sound issues of Fool's Paradise Bunker tech team. Although they make each sound blunder part of the comedic cover ups, it is clear that they are easily thrown which stifles the action. Whilst it is understandable why they need head mics usually, they do not need them and can in this venue rely easily on simple vocal projection having seen other shows here over the fringe which works well.
The other thing to note is that whilst as a company, Hairy Godmothers is a strong troop full of great drag performers, one or two characters need to be tweaked in terms of casting to make it stronger and funnier in places. One instance is that 'Hook' is too young to be really carrying off the eccentric depth this character needs to create the appeal needed. Although the puns are well executed and the right amount of innuendo is insinuated, Hook doesn't quite hit the mark in terms of the maturity needed. However in their 'twisted Aladdin' character, it becomes a better match in terms of energy and youthfulness needed. This character becomes more fun and easier to relate to as the banter between the twisted takes on the princes of Aladdin, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty becomes more lewd and ludicrous and highlights the issue of gaslighting in dating and love.
A highlight is the performer who takes on two classic Disney villains with finesse. Ursula as a woman who is all about being overlooked by traditional beauty standards and asserts the power of being authentically yourself, as well as Cruella De Ville as a dominatrix with 'puppy subs' exploring the use of power in the right (or wrong) way. She steps in last minute to replace the original Ursula and does have a script in hand, but shines as the woman who encourages Ville to be authentic, warts and all. As Cruella, she exudes sex appeal and wit that will cut you to the core, but likewise makes it charmingly appealing.
A fun, sexy and charming show.
