Review: Legends Take to the Stage

By Michael Block

photo by Michael Block

When you can bring two icons together in one room, it's bound to be a remarkable evening you won't forget. Legends of drag Sherry Vine and Joey Arias unite once again in Cherchez La Femme at the Laurie Beechman Theater. Each brining their unique brand of performance, Cherchez La Femme is an evening you'll want to bottle up to hold onto forever.
A sort of preview run before taking their show internationally, Joey Arias and Sherry Vine find themselves together again in an evening of story and song. Blending a few duets with a flurry of solo numbers, Cherchez La Femme is one of those opportunities to watch legends reminisce while continue to dominate their craft. With a well-rounded balance of parody and torch song, the crowd is certain to get a little something of everything. Joey sprinkles in a little Billie Holiday alongside a song she wrote for the hit show Zumanity while Sherry brought some "Back to Black" and her Meatloaf parody "I Won't Do Scat." What more could you ask for? For those who may have seen Sherry Vine in her duo show with Jackie Beat, Sherry takes a bit of a sidekick role as the dumb blonde to Jackie's boisterous role. Here with Joey, Sherry steers the ship and keeps it on course, and it's necessary when Joey gets going in her wild stories. Joey is endearing in her presence. There is no set through line or structure aside from swapping numbers back and forth as the duo promises a new show each time. With a wealth of history and a repertoire so deep, this format can allow the audience come back week after week to something new and fresh.
It's not often you can see two headliners unite as one. Cherchez La Femme is a show not to be missed. It's a piece of drag history.