TAYLOR MAC is back in Australia to drop some truth bombs, but they’re bombs with a sweet, sugary aftertaste. MITCH ALEXANDER tries to pretend he knows anything about current affairs.

For many people Tuesday November 4, 2008 was a day of extreme cultural, political and social importance that cannot be overestimated. It marked the victory of Barack Obama, the first African-American to be elected President of the United States. It is, of course, ridiculous and unfair to expect that this one person will solve all the worlds’ ills in four years, but it’s a comfort to know that the man who controls the big red button is finally not a big red idiot.

But for Taylor Mac, internationally-renowned performance artist and gay activist, November 4 also meant he needs to write some new material. Combining political messages – canvassing issues such as international politics, the environment, gender and sexuality – with satirical music and drag costumes, the Bush regime has featured prominently in the last decade of Mac’s work. Despite this compulsory revision, Taylor maintains a thoroughly optimistic opinion of the result.

“I’m pretty thrilled, I just think it’s so healing and great and inspirational and whatever everyone else has been saying,” he says with a laugh. “You’d think that there were no numb nuts in America anymore when you talk to everyone that’s so excited about it, but of course millions of people voted against him.

“Everyone had thought he was going to win, but no one actually believed it, I think liberal America had been so beaten down for years. But it’s like what he said in his rallies, ‘if you voted Republican the last few years, vote for me …we couldn’t do a worse job!’ We’ve got a mess to clean up, but it’s great that he’s encouraging people to become more involved.”

The Be(a)st Of Taylor Mac is the show that Mac is currently touring, one that he’s taken around the world, wowing audiences and receiving honours such as the Herald Angel Award for artistic innovation and excellence. As the name suggests, it’s a collection of favourite bits and pieces from past shows with some highly ornate costume changes.

“The Be(a)st is a bunch of different numbers and pieces from the last eight years, basically a review of the Bush years, but also where we’re going now,” he says. “I call it my subversive jukebox musical.

“With the election, I clearly have to change my show, but I haven’t had much time to figure out how,” he explains. “But the show is always changing, so there’s always an element of rehearsing, but usually that rehearsal is done in front of an audience.”

A talented musician as much as he is a social observer, Mac has become a multi-instrumentalist over the years in addition to composing the songs. While future plays will feature a full band, for this tour he performs many of the songs on one of the most imposing, powerful and romantic instruments of all time. I’m of course speaking about the ukulele.

“I also play the piano and the banjo and a couple of others – not super well, but enough – but I love the uke because it’s so small and I’m so big, and part of what I’m doing onstage is juxtaposition, trying to show the range of humanity. I like the notion of a big drag queen creature playing a little bitty instrument.”

THE BE(A)ST OF TAYLOR MAC can be seen at the Powerhouse Theatre on Sunday Nov 23. For tickets and more information, check out www.brisbanepowerhouse.org

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