Lessons from Comedy Legends
I went to Provincetown earlier this month and got to see two shows from drag comedy legends. Dina Martina’s show DINA MARTINA: NOW LIVING and Varla Jean Merman’s show The Drowsy Chapel Roan.
These two queens have been entertaining crowds in Provincetown and around the world for decades. They both started before social media, and made careers without RuPaul’s Drag Race; The reality television show that’s been a launching pad for many of today’s most famous queens. What is it about Dina and Varla’s shows that draw audiences in and keep them wanting more?
Dina and Varla have similar show formats. Featuring standup, live sung parodies, and video sketch comedy. Notice how I didn’t mention lip sync mixes? Mixes feel compulsory in my current drag scene, so it’s validating to see fixtures of the drag world not lip sync at all. It allows them to tour their shows internationally; I’d imagine there would be copyright issues for theaters otherwise. Most importantly, it lets audiences connect on a deeper level.
This trip was my first time seeing a Dina Martina show, but her reputation and branding precede her. I immediately recognized her face from the posters. It’s a difficult one to forget. Pale blue eyeshadow and hugely overdrawn bright red lips, with the left lip higher than the right. I love Dina’s mug.
There’s a misconception that drag makeup should be a certain way. Outsiders think the goal is to be pretty or realistically feminine. Even within the drag community there’s a misconception that drag makeup should look like drag makeup. Searching “drag makeup” will yield similar results of winged eyeliner, cut creases, and stark contours. Both styles can work well, but style that doesn’t support the substance of an entertainer is meaningless.
Dina’s face has intent, which only became more clear after seeing her show. Her makeup and fashion is a farce of old Hollywood glamour. It’s like looking at Joan Crawford or Liza Minelli through a funhouse mirror. The exaggerated features match Dina’s absurd persona and sense of humor. This show gave me comedic whiplash. I never knew what to expect and each punchline hit me like a train.
Varla Jean Merman is a queen I have seen before this year. Her performance in the 2003 film Girls Will be Girls is phenomenal (A movie I highly recommend, and perhaps an article for another time). Varla was actually the first drag queen I saw. That was over a decade ago. She set the bar high and I’ve been disappointed by most other shows a huge fan of hers since then. Last year I wrote about her show Stand by Your Drag for Connecticutdrag.com.
Varla is classic drag comedy at its best. Like Dina and many other queens of that era, Varla takes inspiration from old Hollywood starlets. Her last name Merman is a reference to brassy Broadway legend Ethel Merman. Varla’s comedy is more conventional in structure and topical in subject matter, and just as hysterical.
This year’s show featured many parodies of recent pop hits, elevated by the drag elements and the live accompaniment from returning pianist Todd Alsup. My favorite of the night was the parody of Espresso, called “Baked Potato”. It was a self-deprecating bop about how Varla orders grubhub for all her meals. She even had a giant inflatable foil dress to go with it. Even though the topics adapt, Varla stays consistent.
I’ve been to a lot of drag shows now, and many blur together. Martina and Merman stand out by bringing truly distinct personas. These two have impeccable characterization that’s been refined over decades. They’re recognizable from silhouette or voice alone, and that’s incredible.
There’s no one correct way to do drag. However, there is one thing every performer needs regardless of what niche they’re in. Comedy, fashion, dance, alternative, they all need the same thing. Perspective. Varla and Dina know who they are and how they want to portray themselves. There’s enough drag for drag’s sake, but there’s always room for originals like these two.
