An Historical Fantasia

Lavender Men

Beginning with the obligatory pre-curtain speech, a wickedly entertaining and sassy gay spirit named Taffeta welcomes the audience to a one-act Historical Fantasia. It’s partly a factual American chronicle enhanced by a great amount of imaginative creativity. This surreal play is a romantic rainbow reverie that’s based on longtime rumors about the private life of revered 16th President, Abraham Lincoln. It’s as riveting as any completely factual historical drama, but presented with a pronounced gay slant and a modern sensibility.

Playwright Roger Q. Mason is a talented writer. They’re a contributor to works for the stage, film, radio and the hot, new 21st century educational entertainment medium, the podcast. Inspired by living for 10 years among Chicago’s colorful and dynamic LGBTQ+ community, as well as emboldended their own personal life experiences, Mason has blended these elements into one unique play. The writer’s created a surreal flight of fancy that has to be experienced to be fully appreciated. 

About Face Theatre became the obvious choice for presenting a fully realized Chicago production of this comic drama. ABT is, after all, a highly-respected theatre company who’s nationally recognized for their excellence in advancing positive affirmation of the LGBTQ individual. The company’s dedicated to stamping out all forms of prejudice and discrimination, while building a community founded on education and performance. It’s this mission statement that prompted Roger Q. Mason to feel at home with this Midwest Premiere.

To understand the premise of this Historical Fantasia, theatergoers only need to know one fact: Taffeta, a self-described “fat, multi-racial, femme performer” is completely in charge of everything here. The character is played with gobs of grit and guts by a talented, energetic Force of Nature named Julian “joolz” Stroop. Taffeta possesses something they call, Queer Magic. It’s the supernatural power enabling them to reanimate famous deceased historical figures and bring them back to our time, where the men can be free to reinvent their lives. 

Tonight Taffeta invokes honest Abe Lincoln and his good-looking young law clerk, Elmer Ellsworth. Rumored to have secretly been lovers, the two men’s romance plays out like a gay, Victorian rom-com. The homely Mr. Lincoln discovers that, under Taffeta’s magic spell, he’s suddenly become quite a looker. This tall, dark and handsome stud and his shorter, boyishly-attractive beau carry on a discreet, flirtatious relationship until they can no longer resist each other. In two seriously sensuous scenes (that may or may not have actually happened), the eroticism absolutely explodes. 

Throughout the play, Taffeta serves as the narrator of the story, the magical orchestrator of each event, as well as our trusted LGBTQ+ guide through this fantasy dreamland. Often Taffeta steps into the role of all the play’s supporting characters. Their two finest portrayals come as Sadie, Lincoln’s African-American office custodian, and as Mary Todd Lincoln, Abe’s looney, long-suffering wife. 

Appropriately tall, lanky and strikingly handsome, actor Matt Martin is fantastic as a sexually tortured Abraham Lincoln. An understudy in MOTHERS, at Gift Theatre, and in LAST HERMANOS, at A Red Orchid Theatre, this stunning performance marks Mr. Martin’s debut at About Face. And good-looking Shea Peterson, also making his About Face debut, understudied in First Floor Theatre’s edgy MIKE PENCE SEX DREAM, and in Windy City Playhouse’s immersive BOYS IN THE BAND. He also portrayed Vickie/Hunter in AT THE WAKE OF A DEAD DRAG QUEEN. Here Mr. Petersen is magnificent as Elmer Ellsworth. Hopefully we’ll be seeing a lot more of both of these talented actors.

Guided with expertise by trans and nonbinary director, writer  and performer, Lucky Stiff, they’ve seemed to inject a transfusion of additional pluck and power into this production. The director’s own life has obviously provided some color and tempo to keep this mesmerizing drama well-paced. Adding to the magic of this surreal sex dream is Caitlin McLeod’s incredibly whimsical pop-up book Scenic Design. Seemingly modeled after Ford’s Theater, where Lincoln was assassinated, it offers a myriad of hidden surprises. And the authenticity of Anna Wooden’s period Costume Design adds another layer to this charming confection, while allowing her imagination to go wild with her creations for Taffeta.

Roger Q. Mason’s fascinating fantasy accomplishes so many goals. They’ve not only explored the “What If” possibilities of a torrid love affair between two historical figures that was, as Tennessee Williams called it, something unspoken. The play also rips open the scab that has festered over decades of unacknowledged racial prejudice, sexual animosity and body shaming. Taffeta owns the stage in this queer storytelling extravaganza that’s really an Historical Fantasia. It’s 100 minutes of drama, comedy and imaginative illusion that cannot be ignored, nor will it soon be forgotten.                  

Highly Recommended

Reviewed by Colin Douglas

Presented May 9-June 8 by About Face Theatre at The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago.

Tickets, which are on a pay-what-you-can-afford basis, are available in person at the Den Theatre box office, by calling 773-697-3830 or by going to www.AboutFaceTheatre.com.

Additional information about this and other area productions can be found by visiting www.theatreinchicago.com