Freeda Slave:Mask of a Diva
BackWe see a lot of autobiographical one-man shows, but never too many good ones, and this is a good one. FREEda Slave: Mask of a Diva is its doubly significant title-a multiple play on words that delivers the gist of this actor's confessional apologies. Madison does some soul-searching, asks puzzling questions, and even comes up with a few satisfactory answers. Why was he impelled as a youngster to dress up in his sister's clothes? Why did he wake up from a dream with a seemingly heaven-sent answer to his problems-a conviction of his calling? Why was he willing to lose the love of his life (and he did) for the freedom to dress in women's clothes? As Alfred/Freeda, the character he plays, Madison eloquently explains that clothes may make the man but do not make the man a woman. He is acting, role-playing; he remains a man, a black man, a gay man, which is difficulty confounded-but after all a man. "Before I'm gay, I'm human," he avers. "Before I'm black, I'm human." Speaking directly to the audience, he declares that most of all, "FREEda Slave is a tribute to all the women I've ever loved and admired: Coretta, Maya, Aretha, Diana, Gladys, Lena," and others both fictional and real, including his sister Fredrika, the wondrous super-diva Miss Marlena, who virtually adopted him ("the first time I had a mother"). He paints the picture of what Native Americans called a "berdache", a perfect combination of man and woman in one person. Madison is an ingratiating performer, eminently likable, genuinely sweet-spirited, good-looking as a man and better-looking in drag (he has great legs). He gets expert help here from the lighting designer (uncredited), from recorded music (sometimes skillfully lip-synched) by Gladys Knight, Billie Holiday, The Supremes, etc... and most especially from the playwright/director Wharton. FREEda Slave is a seamlessly collaborative expression.
Category: Entertainment
Uploaded: May 18th, 2008 @ 12:36 pm
Author: damngoodman
Length: 02:45
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Views: 364
Tags: dale damn diva drag good guy madison man survive theater
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