Review: DEEP INSIDE TONIGHT! THE KINSEY SICKS 30TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR At New Conservatory Theatre Center

Deep Inside Tonight! The Kinsey Sicks 30th Anniversary Tour

Book by Spencer Brown with Benjamin Schatz, Jeff Manabat, and Nathan Marken

New Conservatory Theatre Center

The Kinsey Sicks are celebrating their 30th anniversary and it’s been a wild ride for the ever-evolving Dragapella® Beautyshop Quartet. The circumstances have changed drastically since their inception in 1993 when the AIDS pandemic was still raging, and we were just beginning the new cocktail that would change the LGBTQ+ environment forever. Their savvy political and social commentary lyrics set to the music of the day cut deep and secured their legacy as part of the vanguard of queer activism from the comic viewpoint.

Flash forward to today, where the LGBTQ+ audiences are far more secure in their standing, even if we are still facing new discriminations and challenges. The current Kinsey Sicks have large pumps to fill and are content with re-creating the vibe of their predecessors with little change. The characters, drawn very broadly are true comic caricatures: the bawdy, salacious Angel (JB McLendon), the narcissistic beauty Trixie (Jeff Manabat), the horn-trimmed Jewess Winnie (Nathan Marken) and the ditzy Trampolina (Spenser Brown). Each has their distinctive look with costumes by GB Couture.

The concept is simple – some silly banter leads to popular songs with very skewed new lyrics, each song catered to the stereotype of the singer. As they say, “they put the harm in harmony,” and their best work are the numbers including four-part harmonies. We all know the songs: “Let It Grow,” “The Rose,” “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” and “Santa Klaus Is Coming to Town.” Song parody is nothing new, a few lyric changes can totally warp a song into a whole new creation. Katy Perry’s “I Kissed a Girl” substitutes Girl for Gull, etc. Some work cutely, if not twisted, others, like an anatomically rectal rewrite of “Total Eclipse of the Heart/Fart” didn’t pass the taste meter.

“Poof, the Magic Drag Queen,” “I Will Swallow Him” and “Don’t Rain on My Buffet” showed off the quartet’s vocal chops and the set included a wry “We Arm the Children” from an alt-right perspective. You don’t see the Kinsey Sicks looking for Chanticleer or the SF Gay Men’s Chorus art, rather a light evening of satire and drag shtick performed old school.

Kinsey Sicks - Deep Inside Tonight! continues through January 5th. Tickets available at nctcsf.org or call 415-861-8972.

Photo credits: Lois Tema

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