House of McQueen is the story of iconic fashion designer Alexander McQueen as seen through the eyes of... Alexander McQueen. From his early days drawing on the walls of his East London council-house bedroom, a bird-obsessed boy who wore his heart on his sleeve, to his unlikely rise in the commercial fashion world, Lee, as he was known to his friends, tells his own story on a runway, a place he’d always dreamt of living his life. He takes us through his memories of epiphany and trauma to his final moments in which he could no longer make anything beautiful out of his life.
The play, directed by Sam Helfrich, darts between eras and modes of storytelling, not really settling on a compelling through-line. We hit the major McQueen life moments and personality traits—difficult childhood, abuse, working class background, the snobbery he initially endured, drugs, homophobia, sexual expression, his taking over at labels like Givenchy, suicide—but they jangle in a baffling muddle on stage.
No doubt the show’s makers intend to celebrate McQueen’s ideals and achievements in the face of awesome challenges. Rather than mount an overstuffed hagiography, surely a daring, provocative artist like McQueen deserves some sort of outrageous theater treatment. Perhaps McQueen’s life might be better told as a black comedy or a surreal romp that mocks the yawns of biographical yarns. Gosh, where’s Taylor Mac when you really need him?
| 2025 | Off-Broadway |
Off-Broadway |
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