Princeton – McCarter Theatre – April 19 2008

by Carl Homrighausen in Concert Reviews

The word of the day: Fabulous.

We arrived at McCarter theatre, to a wide variety of people. The eclectic kind of crowd that could only gather for a Wainwright or two. As it was a seated event, there wasn’t too much roaming or drinking to be done, which I must admit had me a bit disappointed. That would change the instant the house lights faded.

And, they did. Onto the stage stepped Sloan Wainwright and Stevie, her musical partner. Sloan had a really funny side to her, and had most of the audience in tears when the first thing she said was “ANOTHER Wainwright?! What the hell?!!” Through her act she tossed us several clever little quips, several deep songs ranging from folk to blues, and an overall very good time. As she walked off the stage at the end of her set, the thought dawned on me that I’d really like her to stay. Then, the much brighter and more fiery thought of Rufus dawned on me, and I was excited again.

After a short intermission, a slender, relentlessly cute guy wearing red pants and a tee shirt that read “Opera Hunk” stepped out onto the stage and gave a bow to an audience that was giving him his first of what would be four standing ovations. He sat behind a conveniently located piano and belted out his first song in a grand manor. By his second song (This Love Affair), I was in tears, and by the break between that song and his next I was crying again from so much laughter. By this point, my new celebrity crush was obvious. Rufus Wainwright is at times absolutely hilarious, and at times absolutely heart wrenching. I can think of no show I’ve ever been to that has pulled a higher range of emotion from me.

He dedicated the song Gay Messiah to the Pope.

He dedicated the song (and perhaps the time) 11:11 to his boyfriend, Jorn.

He destroyed me.

It was Fabulous.