Now on stage at Toronto’s Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander Street.
“A journey of self discovery and divine mystery”
For 45 years, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre has been Toronto’s leading destination for artistically rigorous alternative theatre and a world leader in developing queer voices and stories for the stage. They have year-round offerings of queer theatre, new works festivals, artist residencies, and training and education initiatives. Their mandate has always been to develop, promote, and preserve stories and perspectives that are challenging and alternative.
Buddies is proud to premiere its newest production, “Oraculum” a provocative two-hander play born from the enigmatic imaginations of two of Canada’s premier drag artists, Denim (Emerson Sanderson) and Pythia (Christos Darlasis). This opening night sold-out performance was sassy, colourful and completely over-the-top with glitz, glamour and plenty of silicone.
These two dames of drag take us on a journey of self-discovery and divine mystery, as filtered through the virtual crystal ball of an online psychic reading website. These two divas of divine dress-up act, dance, lip sync, and flirt in costumes that run the gamut from garish and glittery to sexy and scandalous. Gender and spirituality are at the centre of this otherworldly spectacle.
The plot is muddy and ambiguous; something about two best friends, each being interviewed throughout by a disembodied voice for some fictitious reality show. Short scenes thereafter reveal that one is trying to manipulate the life of the other by pretending to be an online psychic, purposely doling out bad advice and silly promises. It turns out these two are not really friends at all but back-stabbing, jealous and villainous vixens. Random acts of dancing and lip-syncing to pop music ensue. These two (with the onstage help of stage manager Sandy Plunkett) are clearly having fun being their most audacious, authentic, if somewhat scattered, selves.
Set, projections and lighting are courtesy of Cosette “Ettie” Pin. The set is simple but functional. Two left and right arches flank the raised stage, and a more prominent arch centre stage. Giant, fluffy cotton ball clouds are suspended above. Upstage curtains on both sides make easy entrance and egress for our two players. The arches look a little flimsy. I had visions of the centre one toppling forward as it was being wheeled forward and back. The smaller side arches are strung with sheer netting, allowing the excellent projections to be cast on an invisible screen. Pin’s clever lighting design nicely accentuates the bright pastels of the costumes. However, the spots on Pythia and Denim at either side of the stage are harsh and shadowy, obscuring some of their exotic facial expressions.
Director ted witzel stages the players effectively, utilizing the entire space judiciously. A notable issue is speaking voice. While I appreciate their scant costumes preclude the use of body mics, Denim and Pythia need to increase their volume significantly and slow their rapid-fire delivery. Much of their dialogue was lost to my ears and several jokes escaped me.
As the Buddies mantra proclaims, “Queerness is a divine mystery”. Certainly, “Oraculum” is its empyreal embodiment – A pair of glamourous shapeshifters in a bewildering tale that is unabashedly in-your-face outlandish, surreal and sensually preposterous. The opening night audience was quick to reward our buxom beauties with a standing ovation for all the glitz, glitter and brazen bawdiness.
Buddies has always pushed boundaries, challenged norms, and invited artists and audiences to explore expansive, provocative, and oppositional forms of expression.
“Oraculum” checks all the boxes. Theatre doesn’t get much queerer than this.
Buddies in Bad Times Theatre presents a Buddies in Bad Times and Denim & Pythia co-production.
“Oraculum”
Running time: Approx. 75 minutes with no intermission. The production runs until December 14 at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre, 12 Alexander Street, Toronto M4Y 1B4. For tickets call the box office at 416-975-8555 or www.buddiesinbadtimes.com/tickets/
Performers: Denim, Pythia, Sandy Plunkett
