Review – 50 Shades of Gay
Somewhere between High School Musical, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Glee, The L Word and Pitch Perfect, both gay culture and musicals became seriously cool. So, can you imagine what happens when you combine these two things AND throw in four beautiful, talented, sassy women? I’ll give you a clue: it’s pretty good.
Using nothing but their voices, a-capella style, Ginger and Tonic take on fifty iconic songs that are from gay artists, have gay themes, or have made an impression on the gay scene. And through their renditions, from Queen to Lady Gaga and even Marvin Gaye (although I’m still not convinced that last one counts), the audience was completely captivated: each of the four girls are undeniably talented performers, and their ability to harmonize together set them apart. There’s singing, dancing, twerking, and even the showdown between Kylie and Dannii Minogue that we’ve all secretly been dying to see happen.
From pure vocal talent to creative and clever medleys, dancing that ranges from sexy to a little bit silly, and of course your chance to win a ‘sour strap-on’, Ginger and Tonic have created a show that’s entertaining and engaging. The social justice warrior in me was concerned that a show with a title like this could become a parade of cheesy stereotypes and outdated jokes, but the girls kept it light-hearted and tasteful, and even a little bit topical.
This show, much like all things in life, is best paired with good friends and cocktails. But even if a capella isn’t your thing, the sheer talent and effort that has gone into 50 Shades of Gay will keep you entertained.
