This year’s Just For Laughs Toronto lineup included the show Travesty by Sasha Velour which took place on Friday, October 2nd at the Elgin Theatre. You may know Sasha Velour from winning Season 9 of RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2017. She also made a stop in Toronto at the Bluma Appel Theatre during her book tour for The Big Reveal in 2023.
As someone who attended Velour’s show in 2023, I knew Travesty would be a visual and auditory feast filled with captivating storytelling. The performance follows the story of a queer space throughout time, from an old theatre in the 1880s to an underground gay bar in the 1980s, and eventually, its end. Velour uses beautiful projections on stage to enhance the storytelling, incorporating them into the costuming and set itself. An arch projected onto the stage remains throughout the entire performance, gradually changing to show the fictional venue aging as the story moves through different eras. Velour also performs songs inspired by each period the venue experiences.
Some of my favourite moments were when she interacts with the projections with great timing and precision. The amount of cut scenes projected onto the background highlighted the immense effort and planning that went into the show. The experimental show blends elements of protest, burlesque and drag, which are also reflected in the costuming. I lost count of how many costume changes Velour made during the show’s 85-minute run, with no intermission! There was such a creative variety in the looks she wore, aligning with the different eras being portrayed. I especially applaud Velour’s consistent energy in her performances during this one-woman show. At the end of the performance, she shared the inspiration for the venue featured in the show, paying homage to the first gay club she went to and the place where this drag persona was created.
Travesty was a great addition to the Just For Laughs festival, offering a captivating show that showcases performance art as a way to revisit history. I can see how this show can introduce a new audience to drag and performance art, even if they’ve never been to a drag show or watched an episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
I highly recommend Travesty and any future projects from Sasha Velour. If you’re interested in learning more about Velour and her projects follow her on Instagram @sashavelour.