Billy Porter and Wayne Brady Make a Tender Pair in ‘La Cage aux Folles’
The New York Times • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Billy Porter and Wayne Brady star as Albin and Georges in the Encores! revival of the 1983 musical "La Cage aux Folles," bringing renewed tenderness and chemistry to the longtime couple at the show's center.
- The plot revolves around Georges and Albin, owners of a drag club in St. Tropez, who face challenges when Georges's son Jean-Michel asks Georges to hide his relationship with Albin to appease his fiancée's anti-gay family.
- Despite Georges's painful decision to temporarily banish Albin, the production captures the deep love and sexual chemistry between the characters, essential to the show's success.
- The current staging, directed by Robert O’Hara, is a concert version with actors sometimes performing with scripts in hand; Porter’s performance shows promise as he grows more comfortable in the role.
- While the production feels somewhat undeveloped, the performances and emotional core suggest a compelling revival of this classic musical.
