There’s a reason why the films from the “Hollywood of old” still hold up decades later, even in our high-tech era of HD, streaming, and a seemingly infinite uncharted territory of new, young renegade filmmakers.  Classic movie geeks (like me!…) can overlook the problematic elements of the time period, albeit begrudgingly, and admire the commitment and creative skills of the cast and crew.   We can laugh at the exaggerated, larger-than-life dialogue and acting styles which were still showing residuals of live theater performances, before more “realistic” acting styles became the norm.  We learn about the phenomenon of the “Transatlantic/Mid-Atlantic accent”, which arguably only becomes evident if you KNOW what you are listening to.  And, we ask ourselves: At what point, if any, does admiration for our old movies slowly veer into (positive) appreciation for camp versus (negative) mockery? What role does that camp and the art of drag– and, of course, the combination of the two– play in performance art as we enter the second half of 2026?  Of course, after some movie addicts (like me!…) watch these classics over and over again– and eventually, an exploration ABOUT the movie becomes more entertaining than the movie itself. Our curiosity aches to put that movie into historical perspective.  That exploration can take the form of a discussion, a documentary, or… perhaps the World Premiere of a new theater piece at New York City’s The Tank. 

All of these themes mentioned above are explored in Eric Marlin’s What a World!  What a World!— which is, of course, a classic movie reference in itself. (If you don’t know without looking it up, I have to question whether we can even be friends…)The piece, directed by Ilana Khanin, revolves around two modern-day performers (Queen-Tiye Akamefula and Annie Hoeg) planning a drag interpretation of The Pearl of My Oyster, a Hollywood melodrama from 1943 (The same year that Casablanca and For Whom the Bell Tolls came out, FYI…).  As we learn, the very fictional movie that inspired the pair of friends (lovers?) was clearly made in the very real formula of Hollywood romances of the time.  This includes the aforementioned over-the-top (Dare I say “campy”?) performances, the overly arty dialogue (right on down to the movie’s presumed stellar line: “The world ain’t nothing but a rotting oyster, but you’re the pearl that keeps me going!”), the surreal plot, and– most importantly for this story– male and female characters who do not dare to stray too far from strictly defined gender roles: In a “wink, wink” touch, the male character is literally named “Keith Butch”.  And of course, he is as handsome and strong as the female character “Charlotte” is pretty, impeccably dressed, and as “plucky” as societal norms allow her to be. As a reminder, The Pearl of My Oyster is indeed a fictional film, although one audience member was overheard whispering: “Wait, was this a REAL movie?”  So… What a World! What a World! is proudly and patently meta: A fictional piece about a realistic slice-of-life story about two performers bonding over a drag interpretation of a fictional vintage Hollywood movie.  How much will this planned performance piece seep into the reality of the two characters in What a World! What a World!?  And, what affect will it have on their relationship, both working and personal?  The piece explores that right until the very last line of dialogue.

 Along the way, Marlin’s script will keep certain lovers of classic cinema guessing its inspirations.  Talk of a “dowdy” heroine who undergoes a transformation sounds a lot like Now, Voyager, while the romantic interactions between the male and female leads are most assuredly invoking Bogie and Bacall or Tracy and Hepburn.  Featuring a proudly minimalist setting, What a World! What a World!  starts out very slow and deliberate… and for a while, the audience wonders just where the story is going. How much that audience will appreciate and/or like the show will depend on how much they enjoy watching Akamefula and Hoeg, who are on stage a majority of the time without the benefit of elaborate scenery or effects.  Thankfully, are both very charismatic performers, and it is fun to watch them together, especially when they share coordinated movements on stage.  At one point, they switch the characters they are playing, and the result is arguably more interesting than what the The Pearl of My Oyster could have ever been.  And, minimalistic vibe notwithstanding, the piece does incorporate some innovative creative touches– as well as a good amount of humor and whimsy.  As one of the characters states, “Without camp, the world is too serious!”  Who could disagree?

The Tank NYC presents the World Premiere of What a World! What a World! written by Eric Marlin (bad things happen here, 2018 Edinburgh Fringe Festival) and directed by Ilana Khanin (We Need Your Listening at Ice Factory/New Ohio) at The Tank (312 W 36th St., New York, NY 10018), July 9-August 2.  The cast features Queen-Tiye Akamefula (Black Girl Magic Show at JACK) and Annie Hoeg (Slow Field at Theaterlab) with Costume Design by Megan Rutherford (Smart at EST), Dramaturgy by Luke Daniel White, and Madelyn Barkocy as Stage Manager/Assistant Director.  Tickets are $28-$53. The performance will run approximately 65 minutes, with no intermission.  Visit http://www.TheTankNYC.org for more info and tickets.