Image: Bianca Del Rio photograph courtesy of thebiancadelrio.
QPAC’s Concert Hall was at capacity to welcome Bianca Del Rio back to Brisbane with her new one woman show Not Today Satan – based on the now famous insult she hurled at her fellow queens during her time on Ru Paul’s Drag Race.
Bianca Del Rio is a self-declared insult comic and there are no boundaries governing who she will sassily destroy with her acid wit. After being introduced by a local ‘queen’, Del Rio took to the stage to rapturous applause from her eclectic group of adoring fans. There is no doubt that Del Rio’s creator Roy Haylock is immensely talented, evidenced immediately by the energy and anticipation within the auditorium which was filled with a cross section of Brisbane’s theatre goers, many of which, it was evident were new to the states premier performing arts venue. During the 90 minutes Del Rio spent on stage patrons ducked out to the bathroom, took countless photos and laughed hysterically whilst Del Rio tore apart a cross section of society in equal measure.
A curtain obscured the concert hall’s dominating pipe organ and turned the states orchestral home into a comedy club. Five par can lights, a follow spot, a dry bar and a glass of wine was all that Del Rio required, for the black sequined donned diva with her fiery red hair was all that her faithful supporters had come to see. The first 30 minutes were legitimately hilarious with universal laughter from stalls to balcony but sadly the energy waived. A stand-up comedy set is hard at the best of times, hence 90 minutes is incredibly ambitious. In addition, a concert hall of 1600 is far from an intimate venue in which you can tailor your material for the crowd.
Del Rio knows who her fans are and delights them with anecdotes from her time on Drag Race, denigrating her fellow queens, with not even Ru Paul safe from condemnation. The problem wasn’t that the content was offensive, that’s the whole point, sadly it just all seemed to go on for too long, often feeling like it had no direction. The show ended abruptly giving the feeling that the job was done. The diva demanded the audience to stand for a photo and then left the stage with no encore appearance regardless of the enthusiastic response from hall.
Bianca Del Rio owned season 6 of Ru Paul’s Drag Race, not once finding herself in the bottom two requiring a showdown in lip-sync for your life. Prior to winning the popular series Haylock worked as a costumer on Broadway, evidenced in the incredible frocks created both on screen and seen on stage. Del Rio has often referred to herself as a clown in a dress, and she’s pretty accurate, albeit a glamourous clown who will cut you down as quickly as look at you. Del Rio has Joan River’s quick-wittedness, a sailor’s mouth and Amy Winehouse’s hair in one impressive package. The show could be described as self-indulgent, but one doesn’t become a drag queen to hide their light under bushel.
Rating: 3 stars out 5
Presented By Working Management
Concert Hall, QPAC
26 May 2016
