FratHaus: EVICTED!

Full disclosure: as a lover of machismo and crappy beer, I was invested in FratHaus before my ass hit the seat. But I didn’t need to be: just about anyone would have been won over by the hysterical, charming cast of drag kings. Each of them was crisply defined as a character making them easy to root for almost everything they did, drag numbers and sketches alike. Where the show gets a little less crisp for me is the fraternity premise. There seemed to be little commentary on masculinity itself beyond a few jokes. What does it mean for the epitome of BOY, the FRAT BOY himself, to respond to the housing crisis? The premise, like much of the show, is hilarious and rife with possibility, but doesn’t quite stick the landing. 

In the places where it does land, the show’s cast of kings charmed me out of my seat, with Coyote Ugly as a standout. Badass and bizarre, Coyote’s number was wild with energy and wacky s in ex appeal. Yet some numbers were more successful than others. Again, the show tees up a lot of excellent bits but doesn’t always follow through. We’re treated to some truly ridiculous numbers, centring feet pics, hot dogs, and multi level marketing schemes. However, they didn’t always keep their momentum. I was often left waiting for the choreography to escalate or use all the kings onstage to their fullest potential — the show features a little too much two-stepping in the background for my taste. For instance, in the aforementioned hot dog number, Archie Called serenades us about the delights of sausage businessmanship, but the most weiner action we get is some spinning in hot dog suits as though in a hot dog roller. Fun to be sure, but it didn’t go as far as I was craving.

I’m certainly not mad about the scrappiness of the show, but I did crave some more pizzazz — this is a show built by drag artists, after all. The milk crates and cardboard set and props feel lifted straight from a trashy party lair, but are still a bit disjointed and unfinished. The same can be said for the kings’ costuming. While I have deep respect for the sanctity of DIY spirit in both Fringe and drag spaces, I was still hoping for more creativity and larger-than-lifeness than I was served. But when the design shines, it’s blinding, especially if we’re talking about Coyote Ugly’s rat companion puppet, designed by Robin Kadirgamar. The puppet is freakish and full of personality in all the right places, and makes for a delightful button on the climax of the show. 

Frat Haus’s greatest strength is clearly their capacity to build community through their work. The guest performer on the night I attended was Uma Gahd, who had me spellbound with her gravity-defying hair and sidesplitting number. The promise of getting to know more of the drag royalty of Toronto through this production absolutely tempted me to come back. The energy of the room laughing together and cheersing the frat boys buzzed with communal spirit, which speaks deeply to what I see as one of the pillars of drag.

Frat Haus: EVICTED! is best enjoyed with a group of friends and a solo cup of fratwater, sold at the bar as a signature cocktail (I’ll let you review that one yourself). While it frays at the edges, I’m most certainly investing in this fraternity’s pyramid scheme -- though it’s clear their balls have yet to drop all the way, I’ll be there when they do.