Trixie Mattel: Ages 3 and Up

I caught "Trixie Mattel: Ages 3 and Up" in her New York debut at The West Bank Caf�, and as an avid "Drag Race" fan, I know there are some tricks to reviewing an act that owes its humble beginnings to the inestimable exposure and publicity that most of RuPaul's contestants reap, post-season.

One trick is creating some press-worthy mystique, a la WWE Wrestling, of who's in who's camp, and deducing the terrain of the supposedly competitive, backbiting landscape. There is always a river of conjecture whether this bitch is going to throw shade at Bianca, or Katya, or RuPaul, herself and which side is she on? It's as regular as rent, but if you really know the show and its orbit, you always run 99.9 percent sure they're all in on the narrative, and laughing together all the way to the memory foam store.

Regarding Trixie's long awaited New York show: It was so worth the wait because she's highly legit. She sings, dances and acts; looks like an early Dolly Parton in a fun mirror; tells sketchy jokes about "formative incest"; and provides a nutritiously camp time for all, which surprises no one. My favorite Trixie trick is her patter. She impresses by telegraphing her different "selves" at the most opportune times.

We're giddy at the "seasoned comic" Trixie working the front of the stage, always about to pick on a front-row couple, who submit to her with a smile, while already holding their breath for her onslaught. Odd about the onslaught, because, once she picks her victims, it's far from the Don Rickles evisceration you'd brace for, from her rantings. In fact, there were two mature bear-ish guys whose shoulders were up by their ears when she started in, but quickly met "best friend Trixie" who heaped real affection upon them, and her fondness for not just how long ago they got together, but absolutely delighting in the fact that they had to take their profile pictures with a pre-smart phone digital camera!

Then, there's "Private Trixie," counter-intuitive for such a broadly designed act, I hear you ask? You see, at present, Trixie is still smarting from a significantly brutal breakup and was absolute in looking for answers and guidance from her downstage audience. Of course, she shredded and mocked every piece of sincere advice, but yeah... Instead, she made a beeline for the guitar propped against the wall stage left, and expertly redesigned the West Bank mojo with her story of heartache and breakup, and poured out a slow and lonesome ballad, worthy of a Nashville record contract. We really dig this "Private Trixie," whose deep, musical particularity sets her apart from all her other show brethren, "Drag Race" or beyond (yes, there's a beyond).

And don't forget "Mayhem Trixie:" While leaving the stage for a five-minute quick change, she sat us through a gawkingly vivid safe sex "selfie" slide show, and, hearing our gullets rise, immediately apologized (don't buy it for a second... ) for forgetting what we'd probably be eating when watching it.

Not being from New York afforded her a few cordial passes, like bitching about the subway, even though we've heard it all before. But, in a momentary transition point, when she was telegraphing her first intentions to wrap things up for the night, she referred to the Laurie Beechman Theatre as "The Anne Frank Memorial Theater," proving that, even when you have an audience eating out of your perfectly manicured hand, you can still elicit some good old fashioned umbrage, and alchemize it into applause by simply staring them all down, saying, "Oh, don't you judge me." And judge her we shall, dammit, if only she'd come back for another NYC encore, sometime very soon.

"Trixie Mattel: Ages 3 and Up" played on November 3-6 and returns March 3-4, 2017 at Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 West 42nd St. For information or tickets to upcoming shows, call 212-352-3101 or visit www.SpinCycleNYC.com.