Of Nova Scotia and Weddings

Drag Queen Stole My Dress, written by Gillian English, directed by Chris Gibbs

When you first hear the title "Drag Queen Stole My Dress", your mind may conjure up some strange images of drag queens running around stealing people's clothes. But in truth, the experience you'll get from this piece of theatre is less of a cheap laugh, and more of a satisfying retelling of a slice of Gillian English's life. This cross between a stand-up comedy routine, and a monologue bridges the gap between the two seldom-paired genres, and brings together a feeling of familiarity with Gillian – not unlike sitting at a bar and sharing life stories with her.

You could call the presentation minimalistic. The lighting is mostly static, with Gillian herself standing in front of you, the audience, and telling you the tale of her otherwise-doomed wedding with "Todd" (whose name was changed for legal reasons, as she says). Starting with an anecdote about the perfect murder discussions between her family members, to the tale of her wedding dress (which she wears for the majority of the show) and how she came to buy it, and ending on a note of positivity. With the stage laid bare, the center of attention is Gillian, and what the act lacks in peacock feathers, it makes up for a hundred-fold in heart and soul. Although tragic, laughter is a-plenty even though she's alone on stage, you can feel the confidence behind the life-changing few years she describes in the 60 minutes of the show.

The punch line involving the drag queen stealing her dress is teased, but doesn't make its appearance until the end. Though it brings the entire show into a full circle, the most enjoyable aspect of it (as well as many facets of life itself) is the journey. A journey that's full of laughter, and a tale of personal growth told by someone passionate, funny, and undoubtedly entertaining, provided you're okay with a little bit of coarse language.

You can check out Drag Queen Stole My Dress at Le Cabaret du Mile End (5240 du Parc) until Saturday, June 21st. All the info is available at the Montreal Fringe Festival website, and check out Gillian English's site over at http://www.gillianenglish.com/.

--Photo by Rob Colburn. Jocelyn Beaudet hosts The Dead of Night the Loneliest Hours, Fridays at 11:59 PM on CJLO.