**Warning: The following review is not for the faint-of-heart, as neither is the show in which I am reviewing.
Everyone’s favorite glamorous drag clown, Bianca Del Rio, brought her “Dead Inside” tour to Washington, D.C. this weekend at DAR Constitution Hall with a show that will definitely offend people not familiar to the world of drag. This irreverent stand-up comedy show highlighted the main talent (aside from making her own stunning garments) of the RuPaul’s Drag Race season 6 winner: reading everyone for absolute filth.
Bianca’s opener was Wendy Ho, a self-proclaimed female drag queen that served as the show’s lubricant, adequately preparing the audience for a night full of vulgarity. Wendy sang four of her crude song parodies that she is apparently well-known for, with titles that even I feel uncomfortable typing and sharing with you all. Needless to say, they all involved turning popular songs into sexual pearls of wisdom. While the songs themselves are not something I would particularly listen to, she definitely captivated the audience and even had a storm of their phone flashlights appear organically during a song about gay sex. However, the stories she told while weaving the songs together were absolutely hilarious, and I think she served as a great opener for what we as an audience were all about to witness.
After realizing that everyone in the audience was not only sick, but that we were all comfortable embracing our own sickness, Bianca hit the stage looking absolutely astonishing in a neon green jump-suit equipped with a pink-lined, sleeved cape. I could have sat there all night just watching her walk in circles as her stoned suit glistened in the lights… which is basically what I did (it IS a stand-up comedy show)!
In a half-scripted, half-improvised comedy-show, Bianca made jokes about current events and pop culture moments, which included comparing Beyoncé’s “Beyhive” to Taylor’s “Swifties,” and, of course, reading the judges and past cast members of RuPaul’s Drag Race to absolute filth (except for Sasha Colby, whom she aptly referred to as “Mother”). My favorite part, however, was the Q&A with the audience, where Bianca had the lights turned on so that we could all feel part of the conversation with her.
One skill that I absolutely admire from Bianca is her ability to reference past jokes, which she executed exceptionally well at this show. Without giving too much away, there was a special audience member that Bianca interacted with throughout the show that allowed her to make easy reference to and keep the audience laughing.
If you are a queer person or a fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race, you will probably spend most of the night laughing your face off when seeing this show. Otherwise, be prepared for a night that will have you questioning how it’s possible to be that vulgar.
For more information on Bianca Del Rio’s “Dead Inside” tour, visit www.thebiancadelrio.com.
Final Grade: A
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