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Welcome to the Archive Version of the online On the Purple Circuit, which ran from 2000-2021. Bill Kaiser founded the Circuit as a newsletter in 1991, and, in 2000, Demian joined as co-editor. Demian programmed the site, expanded the scope of the Circuit, as well as retouched all the images. Demian needed to stop working on the Purple Circuit in order to realize his other projects, such as publishing the book “Operating Manual for Same-Sex Couples: Navigating the rules, rites & rights,” now available on Amazon, and to publishing his “Photo Stories by Demian” books based on his more than 6 decades as a photographer and writer. QueerWise and Michael Kearns have committed to offering a continuation of the Purple Circuit. The new Web address is purplecircuit.org. Bill Kaiser continues as editor and can be reached at purplecir@aol.com Bill and Demian express their appreciation for the hundreds of writers, directors, actors, and publicists who sent their articles and play data. They have toiled mightily to bring our gay, lesbian, trans, and feminist culture into public view, and appreciation. |
| Bill Kaiser, founder (1991), publisher, editor - purplecir@aol.com - 818-953-5096 Demian, associate editor (2000), Web builder, image retouch (since 2003) Contents © 2022, Purple Circuit, 921 N. Naomi St., Burbank, CA 91505 |
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Resident Alien by Tim Fountain Based on the life, writings, and musings of Quentin Crisp Review by Doric Wilson January 9, 2001 |
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Bette Bourne is more convincing as Quentin Crisp than Quentin was himself. With a wicked smile and wispy gray pompadour asunder, Bourne emerges from under a bed sheet and an orgy of Oprah viewing to arch a deadly eyebrow at a wide range of targets from middle-class mediocrity to gay political correctness. Patiently (and with limited expectations) he instruct us on how to develop of style, provocatively (and with eyes snapping) he canonizes Margaret Thatcher while slicing Princess Di and Oscar Wilde for very thin salami. And when finally he settles down to a water glass full-to-the-brim with whisky, Bluelips diva Bourne has brilliantly brought the late and legendary grand dame of the East Village vividly back to life, and the audience to their feet in joyous appreciation. Resident Alien playwright Tim Fountain seamlessly fused his own creative input with the actual Quentin, making it impossible to tell which is which. In the future, people may think they are quoting Quentin Crisp when in fact they owe their borrowed wit to Fountain. Behind a barricade of unread books, set designer Neil Patel has created a dingy apartment so convincing “undusted” even I was itching to reach for the Fantastic (not to mention Raid). Mike Bradwell directed this production which ran for over a year at London's Bush Theater. The one-man show was in rehearsal when Quentin died.
New York Theatre Workshop, 79 East Fourth St., New York, NY; 212-460-5475. |