The last place one expects to hear a gay coming out story is on standup stage. But after sitting in on D’Lo’s DeFunQT performance as part of The Park’s New Festival recently — it is clear that coming out of the closet stories and comedy are a fire cracker combination. Also, this is probably the only show that has just as many members of the LGBT community as there are socialities. When queer Tamil Sri Lankan-American transexual, D’Lo walks on stage to a peppy hip hop beat, you think you know what to expect. After a few minutes of a macho voice introduction, he suddenly switches to his real voice, one that as he admits sounds a lot like ‘Mickey Mouse’s.’
It comes as ironic when he says, “I’m always mistaken for a black dude in the US.” And then proceeds to even go into toilet stories of mistaken gender. For the most part though, the evening is about growing up years in LA as an immigrant, comical impressions of amma and appa’ and later impressions of potential girlfriends along the way. Perhaps, the only point in the story that he can’t quite transcend to humour is the death of his sister when he was 13. “How could I tell them I was gay then?” he laments.
Then he continus about a telephonic impression of his father the day they are planning an arranged marriage. At that point, having not had his operation yet, D’Lo was still a woman, and in college. His father’s voice resounds after the flat refusal, ‘But why not, I’ve found you doctors.’ Appa’s gruff voice adds, “and they are brothers, you can pick which one you want!”
By now, t is clear the audience is having a riot, laughing. Looking around at people’s reaction, there are possibly quite a few relatable instances in the comic act. The American references do play spoilsport to a few jokes, but overall it is a great show. Not to mention, an empowering experience formany who attended his workshop earlier in the day. Asked after the show about equipping the LGBT youth in Chennai with comedy skills to express themselves, and D’Lo responds, “Sure, I’d like to that.”
He adds that he would definitely like to come back and do some workshops with theatre, his area of speciality and writing as well. “People just want to keep it light you know,” he says, evidently having connected enough, to glimpse their pain. D’Lo adds, “And comedy, is tragedy given time. Doesn’t everyone have some tragedy?”
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