From the moment you step into Udderbelly for Faghag, the energy oozing from Dylan Mulvaney is one of pure positivity. Dressed all in white and with enormous angel wings, she ushers her own show, guiding people to seats, taking selfies, and offering hugs left, right, and centre.
Faghag might be an ugly word, but the picture-perfect pink stage setting is femme prettiness from top to tail. Based on Dylan’s own life, it follows her journey from inception (putting one of heaven’s angels into a human body) up to the present in an empowering and authentically honest portrayal of what it’s like to be a trans woman today.
Dylan dominates the stage, pulling all eyes to her with a commanding stage presence. She has a great voice but doesn’t rely on the musical numbers to entertain, whirling through tight comedic delivery, skits, and a smattering of remote appearances from LGBTQ+ famous faces, pulling on her database of celebrities. We won’t say who to keep the surprise, but the show has moments of turning into a veritable ‘who’s who’ of queer culture.
The costuming and integration of voiceovers and videos are impeccably well-integrated, wrapping up Dylan’s story in neat bows. Vulnerable episodes are reflected with Dylan exposed in nude underwear, while she takes on empowering silhouettes in dynamic dresses for her moments of strength.
The all-pink set and girlish dresses might offer an idea of Dylan as being overly sweet, but as the show goes on, you realise alongside her that there’s a strength in that vulnerability and femininity. Dylan just is that sweet, and it’s incredibly empowering to see a woman refuse to climb into the box the world wants to put her in.
Faghag is proof of an indomitable spirit and an exemplary display of retaining control of your own story, one that it was an honour to watch.
