THE LAST NIGHT IN THE LIFE OF ALEXANDER GEIST

(Photo Manuel Moncayo)

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As part of London’s Queer Fringe Festival, last Night I attended the first ever, (work in progress), showing of La John Joseph’s new show, “The last night in the Life of Alexander Geist”. A shamelessly indulgent piece exploring the untimely death of La JJ’s musical persona, Alexander Geist.

I ran into La JJ in the stairwell on the way into “Miranda”, the basement bar of the Ace Hotel for him to remind me, “It’s still a work in progress”. Had he have not said anything I wouldn’t have known any different.

This was a very tight “open rehearsal” as it may be. I was impressed by the pace of the entire showing. As a piece that involves quick shifts from live action to video clips and even filming on stage during the performance it was almost seamless, the complexed technical choreography was on point and pulled focus in all the right directions.

La John Joseph himself was clearly the star of the show – which of course he is supposed to be – nevertheless he suavely commanded us into the world of Alexander Geist, a gender-bending, politically poignant, red wine stained, smokey living room paradise of that gran who ran away to become friends with Iris Apfel but got lost in the fur section of vintage classics and wandered into the Narnia of Berlin.

Alexander Geist’s original musical numbers were most certainly the highlight for me, offering sexy suited, dahling dahling love to the audience with power and poise. The audience reiterated this feeling with due applause leaving the show with whoops and cheers, still with the scent of powder puffs and tan suit in their eyes.

My only wish is that the in-between dialogue sections were delivered with a bit more bite. At times it felt a bit like watching a play, which of course it is, but this can ruin the illusion of reality; whereas with the songs I was in the story as opposed to being told the story.

Ultimately, I think La JJ deserves a big thumbs up and a sincere thorough hand shake for delivering such a polished and immersive “work in progress”.

La John Joseph, we eagerly await the finished piece.

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Written by Ted Rogers “Artpornblog”

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