British actor Luke Newton (“Bridgerton”) channels late fashion designer Alexander McQueen in the new Off-Broadway show “House of McQueen,” which is being performed at The Mansion at Hudson Yards in New York City.
This play takes audiences through Alexander’s (born Lee Alexander McQueen) short but productive life, from his early days as an emerging designer, to later building one of the most important fashion houses in the world, and ultimately his tragic passing by suicide at the young age of 40.
The audience gets to experience some of the intimate relationships in his life (such as the ones with his family — his critical father Ronald but supportive mother Joyce and sister Janet), as well as mentor and muse Isabella Blow.
Luke Newton delivers a powerful, transcendent, cerebral performance as Alexander McQueen, which captures his conscience to the tee; moreover, he layers his emotions well and has the crowd with him every step of the way.
Tony nominee Emily Skinner is sublime as Alexander’s mother Joyce, while Denis Lambert is convincing in the dual roles of Alexander’s father Ronald and fashion mogul Tom Ford.
Catherine LeFrere is effervescent as Isabella Blow, the woman who is credited for discovering McQueen early on.
Jonina Thorsteinsdottir is a revelation as Alexander’s abused sister Janet, as well as in the additional roles of the psychic and model. Margaret Odette was just as appealing in the roles of the reporter, professor, and the model.
At this show, the role of Young Lee was played by Matthew Eby, who gave a heartfelt and endearing performance.
Every single person in the cast brought something unique to the table, and they were all noteworthy in their own right. The direction by Sam Helfrich was delightful.
The script by Darrah Cloud was mediocre at best, where it felt a bit convoluted and uneven at times (containing a few awkward scenes such as a bizarre dance sequence that could have easily been eliminated and a couple of other unnecessary ones); as a result, the actors did a fine job given the material that they had.
To Cloud’s credit though, the emotional, gut-wrenching moments in the play will certainly hit the audience like a shot in the heart (and will leave them in tears).
The Verdict
Overall, “House of McQueen” is a bold, daring, flamboyant, yet entertaining new play that pays homage to the late but great Alexander McQueen.
It is ideal to be performed at an intimate venue of this caliber such as The Mansion at Hudson Yard.
It sheds light on the fashion work of Alexander McQueen (where many viewers will be inspired to research him after the show is over), his family dynamics, multiple relationships, drug use, and it raises awareness on suicidal ideation (which was the reason behind the deaths of both Isabella Blow and McQueen).
The scenic design by Jason Ardizzone-West is quite impressive from a technical standpoint, since it uses a highly produced landscape with floor-to-ceiling LED panels designed to shift environments.
“House of McQueen” is worth checking out, and it garners four out of five stars. Well done.
To learn more about “House of McQueen,” visit its official homepage.
