Wig, which premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, is a documentary that describes the history and resurrection of an iconic drag event known as Wigstock. While sometimes it felt as if the film was not quite sure where it was going, overall Wig delivers a sometimes snarky, sometimes serious, and almost loving look at the history of the New York City drag scene, the birth of Wigstock, and to a certain degree the evolution of Pride.
One thing that was strange but satisfying about the film was how it was organized. Wig began with a thorough treatment of the history of Wigstock, followed by introductions to some of today’s drag stars; the film closed with selections from Wigstock 2018. In other words, it had the structure of Bohemian Rhapsody; however, since it genuinely functioned as a documentary on this monumental event, it worked incredibly well without feeling cheesy. Also, selections of acts were shown rather than a recreation of almost a full set, but frankly, that’s enough of that comparison.
The film bounces between following Lady Bunny, drag queen and activist, the influence of performers like RuPaul Charles and the Pyramid Club on early drag, and the impact that younger queens and LGBT+ icons like Neil Patrick Harris are having on LGBT+ space in New York City. The earlier influences and origin of Wigstock are painted fairly. Interviewees seem honest – brutally, at times – and no one is afraid to have an opinion. Wigstock began as an extension of the nighttime drag scene in a form of counterculture performance. From its humble, improvised beginnings in 1984, it grew to be a phenomenon until its end in 2001. Wig addresses the administration that changed laws around club life, impacting both the drag scene and Wigstock, in the 90s and other factors that led to its end.
There can be found within this segment a more sober part of the film. Kevin Aviance, drag queen and musician, speaks to his experiences being assaulted and waking up at a hospital. Those that he had spoken with were quick to say that usually those who went in the hospital didn’t emerge. This moment grounds the film. There is a reason why Pride is still necessary, and while I doubt that anyone viewing Wig with an understanding of LGBT+ history or an open mind needs reminding of that fact, it was just one moment that cemented the documentary as a serious look at something often seen as just entertainment.
The film intersperses its history lessons with the stories and opinions of the younger queens that are going to be involved in Wigstock 2.0. In particular, the film follows Charlene Incarnate, a queen who speaks of change in the drag community: specifically, the influence of queens with different perspectives, including trans queens like herself. This article by Charlene is a fascinating read on the way we perceive drag queens and trans women in light of past comments made by RuPaul. In highlighting her story among others, Wig highlights the counterculture trends in the modern drag community. Although Wigstock 2.0 might be a slightly more mainstream, popularized event now due to Wigstock’s legacy, the self-expression and the sentiments that drove the original Wigstock are still manifesting in the drag stars of today.
While documenting Wigstock’s story from the past to the present, Wig shows that Wigstock 2.0 and the NYC drag scene still have a bright and rebellious future ahead: one that promises inclusivity with its creativity. Perhaps the 2018 Wigstock clips began to drag on (pun not intended!) after a while, and perhaps the documentary seemed to jump from one topic to another at times. Still, Wig presents an overall cohesive, informational, and frankly entertaining lesson on an important event in LGBT history.
Indira Ramgolam is a freshman in Columbia College.