If you’ve been living under a rock, then you might have missed the craze that is Ru Paul’s Drag Race. With 15 seasons of the original series, an All-Star spin off currently on season 8, and global franchise popping up on almost every continent (including UK’s Drag Race), it’s hard to deny its imprint on today’s popular culture. However, Drag Race’s biggest gift is the countless drag queens that, because of the gravitas of this reality television juggernaut, the world are introduced to us all. Monet X Change (she/her in drag) is one of those queens, who back in season 10 (premiered in 2018) blasted onto our screens and quickly became a fan favourite (and mine!)
Monet’s charisma, uniqueness, nerve, and talent was undeniable, even when she donned a sponge dress that has since become a cult classic in its own right. Although the drag queen didn’t win her season, she returned in All Stars 4 and stole more than just the hearts of viewers, strutting away with the crown (there’s another half to this story, but that’s not important). Monet has continued to move from strength to strength in the entertainment industry and, for the first time, has arrived at Edinburgh Fringe with her one woman show, Life Be Lifein’.
What is clear the moment Monet X Change walks on stage at McEwan Hall is that she is drop dead gorgeous. Dawning what looks like a denim floor-length gown with a slit the length of the empire state building, Monet stands in a pool of light, drinking her audience in who many (including myself) cannot believe it is her in the flesh. Monet immediately makes the audience feel like her best friend as she recounts a multitude of escapades, each endearing, funny, and sometimes a little raunchy.
The show hangs on this opera song that she intends to sing for the audience, but each time she steps up to the microphone, there seems to be a new story nagging at her consciousness that she’s desperate to confess to us. This has the potential to get tiresome, but Monet times each interruption perfectly and sustains the anticipation right until the very end. When she finally does hit the audience with her opera song, we are gifted with a voice that is simply everything. This was followed by a medley of songs that finished rather appropriately with Jennifer Hudson’s ‘You’re Gonna Love Me’ from the musical Dreamgirls, which, in all honestly, blew me away.
Monet X Change oozes with confidence, and everything you could love about her on the screen comes alive in person. Life be Lifein’ is a show not to be missed, not because Monet was on drag race, but because she is just that hilarious.
Monet X Change: Life Be Lifein’ is on at Underbelly, McEwan Hall at 21.15 Aug 6-8, 10-15.
https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/monet-x-change-life-be-lifein
Images provided to The Student by Monet X-Change