Stereotypes can be offensive, and the result of narrow-minded thinking, but they can also be hilarious. The stereotype of a butch lesbian named Molly “Equality” Dykeman is the joke that keeps on giving in A Molly Jolly Christmas, the holiday variety show currently running at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. It’s not enough that Molly is a stocky woman with a mullet who flirts with the females in the audience; she is also a part-time poet and full-time security guard at PS 339. Oh, and did I mention she has a Boston accent and loves Lifetime movies? The only thing that surprised me is that she didn’t drive onto the stage in a Subaru Outback (the sporty wagon that the Urban Dictionary calls a “Lesbaru”).
Actress and comedian Andrea Alton plays the role of Molly. She is wonderful on stage, nailing the part yet somehow still giving her character a uniquely hysterical twist. As the host, she confidently opens with a letter to Jesus that reads like a “Dear Santa” note. It’s unclear whether she thinks they are one in the same, especially when she later refers to Jesus’ sleigh.
Molly reads poems, shares stories, and sings and dances throughout the show. She has the assistance of her two attractive and scantily clad back-up dancers, The Mollettes, who seem unsure of how to handle Molly’s come-ons. A few guests come on stage to break up the Molly-show, and vary at each performance. Last week’s show had comedian Adam Sank, burlesque dancer Jubilee Diamond, and performer Drae Campbell. Campbell is also the reigning Miss Lez 2010. No one in the audience seemed clear on what the Miss Lez pageant is, but the title seemed to mean a lot to Molly. Each performer was entertaining and completely different from the one before, leaving the audience engaged and curious.
There are two shows remaining, on December 13th and 22nd at 7:30 p.m. For tickets and to find out who the guests are, visit www.spincyclenyc.com. The Laurie Beechman Theatre is inside the West Bank Café on West 42nd Street. It’s a great venue with a full bar and the Café’s food menu (I recommend the burger because it’s phenomenal and easy to eat during a show). Don’t miss this chance to take your gay best friend or your girl friends to see what is sure to be the gayest show of the year.
