Jane Is Busting Out All Over!!!

It's amazing to think that when the cult classic Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? was released on film in 1962, critics throughout the land praised the film for its many elements, but also chose to take sides againt the performances of its leading ladies, Bette Davis and Joan Crawford. One particularly prime example of same emerged from the New York Telegraph & Sun,

which said, "Miss Davis, with the mind of an infant, has something of the force of a hurricane. Miss Crawford could be described as the eye of that hurricane, abnormally quiet, perhaps, but ominous and desperate." It is, therefore, a curious question to the mind of an audience member fortunate enough to catch the brilliantly-produced parody of the film, entitled Whatever Happened to Busty Jane? recently at the Beechman, as to which of its two stars therein emerges as the hurricane itself or the desperate and ominous eye.

But whichever of the two could be determined the winner, this glorious piece of black-box theatre is a heavyweight champion on all counts. Penned by legendary drag entertainer Jackie Beat, in which she also stars alongside the resplendent Mario Diaz, we find ourselves among two siblings competing for who had the better career, but former stars of gay pornography (namely Busty Jane Hardon and her brother Branch Hardon, now crippled in a wheelchair and at the mercy of his exceedingly-twisted sister). And the hilarity that ensues, while perhaps not quite a cup of tea for the straight and narrow (so to speak), is exquisitely executed from the word "go."

After opening with a filmed pastiche that perfectly mimcs the movie that can only be called indescribably brilliant, we find the two battling with gorgeous humor, while also coming close to being upstaged by the fantabulous Sam Pancake as a nosy and flamboyantly gay neighbor, the splendid Nadya Ginsburg as a Puerto Rican housemaid, and Selene Luna as Jane's new agent, who may be diminutive of physical stature, but possesses a luminous stage presence that grazes the heavens above. Though laden with innuendo and more inside gay jokes than might be had at a Freddie Mercury estate sale, the aforementioned Ms. Beat has crafted a script that, as always, borders on genius and transcends sociological borders in such a way as to be understood by all present. It is simply impossible not to enjoy every single moment of Whatever Happened To Busty Jane? as long as one possesses even the slightest sense of humor, regardless of one's orientation or political leaning. To be fair, an introduction of Branch's pet gerbil Poppers, with whom he co-starred in several films, might not quite be the sort of thing one would want to discuss with mother, but on the other hand, it might not hurt to simply tell one's old lady to lighten up for a night and get over herself.

Suffice it to say, Whatever Happened To Busty Jane? is yet another example of the brilliance that could only emerge from the mind of Jackie Beat, and could absolutely and without question run for a good length Off-Broadway, if not at the Beechman itself, for an extended run. Whatever its future, it is not to be missed should it return to the fair shores of New York City.