Review by Tatum Stafford
After watching (and loving) Anita Wigl’it on RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under in 2021, I was over the moon when she announced her one-woman show would debut at Perth Fringe – and after seeing it in a very cosy tent on Saturday night, it was definitely worth the wait.
Bursting onto the stage in a gorgeous Cinderella dress, Anita had a strong start with a song that she interspersed with all of the quirks her fans know and love her for.
Throughout the one-hour show, she gave the audience a very personal look into her upbringing, including early dress-up costumes, her love for her family, and memories (and some hilarious photos) of her early drag career in New Zealand.
The show takes a sharp left turn when Anita introduces a video of herself out of drag, telling quite a harrowing story about an incident that happened years ago, but still affects them to this day. This was followed by a very touching trumpet solo (she quipped “they didn’t keep me on Drag Race long enough to show you this talent), that had the audience speechless and clearly very emotionally affected. This was such a beautiful, poignant moment in the show, and though it highlighted a really terrible experience, turned out to be a very inspirational look at the way Anita carries herself, and tries to see the best in the world.
The show was well written, punchy, hilarious and packed with moments that drag fans and general audiences alike are sure to enjoy. Anita is a bundle of energy, and it’s clear in this small setting that she’s got the goods when it comes to hosting, audience interaction, entertaining through song and above all, having fun. This super fun show is running for a few more weeks at Fringe, and I’d highly recommend grabbing a ticket to see what the fun is about!
Image Supplied