Review: THE JINKX & DELA HOLIDAY SHOW at Dolby Theatre
A heartfelt, irreverent, and zany holiday spectacular
From Rudolph to the Virgin Mary, no Christmas icon is safe from lampooning in The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show which played to peals of laughter and general festive cheer in the Dolby Theatre this past weekend. Drag legends Jinkx Monsoon and BenDeLaCreme have crafted an extravaganza that combines all the stupidity and raunchiness of a campy nightclub act with all the sparkle and polish of the lighter fare being doled out at Radio City this time of year. With self-referential humor, take downs of topical talking points, and a heartfelt, earnest finale, the queens prove the power of drag to uplift spirits and spread joy.
Fresh off of Broadway with a fast-growing and wide-ranging roster of roles, Jinkx Monsoon brings down the house with each of her musical numbers, belting out holiday parodies of classic rock songs with as much prowess as she musters for her musical theatre standards. Meanwhile, BenDeLaCreme packs the show full of wit and charm, leaning into her clean-cut, ditzy persona to land joke upon joke. Bolstered by a chorus of dancers, charming narration by an adorable Christmas tree (built and manipulated by Greg Pinsoneault with a voice from Jeff Hiller), and an unending slew of cultural references from Freaky Friday to Rosemary’s Baby, the show shines as an inventively ridiculous and ridiculously inventive Holiday tradition.
Though an entirely new show each year, Jinkx and DeLa have been presenting their wacky brand of merriment for the past seven years (including a filmed special in 2020). It is amazing to see how fresh they have been able to keep their humor and references without dipping back into the same material. As they continue touring the west coast, with upcoming dates in San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, and more, The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show is one that must be seen to be believed!
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