Holland Festival – The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions – Ted Huffman, Philip Venables, Factory International

The Fagots and Their Friends Between Revolutions

This musical theater production is based on the 1977 cult book of the same name by Larry Mitchell and Ned Asta. The performance paints a picture of world history viewed through a queer lens.

In this musical version by composer Philip Venables and director Ted Huffman, the original text is reworked with a cast of actors, singers, dancers and musicians into a kaleidoscopic journey in which music and storytelling merge: expect reenacted fights, but also cheerleading and raves.

Venables' varied music makes excursions into Elizabethan lute songs, bossa nova, techno, sometimes with a moment that would also fit perfectly in a Disney musical.

The result is an anarchic, satirical celebration of queer experiences that is both vulnerable and challenging. Sharing deeply personal stories proves to be both comforting and healing. 'Outsiders' are not on the sidelines here, but in the middle. They create a world that is a sharp critique of capitalism, assimilation and patriarchy that remains relevant today, when radical change remains necessary.

Huffman and Venables learned about the book because friends of Venables pointed it out to him. Venables: 'The book was all about a positive view of sexuality, gender freedom and a self-chosen life. For my friends, this book was a kind of bible. I couldn't get it out of my head anymore.'