Jeffery Roberson’s alter ego Varla Jean Merman is back in Los Angeles, on the stage of the LGBT Center’s Renberg Theatre, after a ten-year absence, for a very short three-day stay in Varla Jean Merman’s Big Black Hole. It’s a not to be missed evening for fans of the drag queen comic and will be quite an introduction to newbies. Written by Roberson and Jacques Lamarre, directed by Michael Schiralli and featuring Gerald Goode on piano and vocal accompaniment, Big Black Hole delivers plenty of laughs and even gives you a few things to think about. Varla Jean first appears as our very own sun which has peaked and is slowly dying out. From there Merman free ranges on such topics as Lance Bass and Sarah Brightman’s aborted attempts to be launched into space, Star Wars, Pluto’s demotion from the list of planets, probing alien encounters and Scientology. Although not in the best of voice thanks to the crud that seems to be infecting performers throughout the area, Varla Jean sings such tunes as Elton John’s “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me,” Jerry Herman’s “I Am What I Am,” the rarely heard Carpenters’ “Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft” and Doris Day’s theme song “Que Sera Sera” among others with her own wicked lyrics. The humor is blue and vicious and oh so delicious. Varla Jean is having fun and so is her audience.
Renberg Theatre, LA LGBT Center, 1125 N. McCadden Pl. in Hollywood. Ends April 3. Lalgbtcenter.org/theatre or 323-860-7300.