JFL Toronto Review: Sasha Velour - Travesty

Posted by: Andrew Lizotte  •  October 4, 2026 @ 2:36pm

Filed under: Reviews, Festivals

This is one of the best concerts I have ever been to, period. Probably top five.

The description of the show on the website does not do it justice. It sounds like it's going to be a one-woman show about social injustice and being sad. That is the worst description possible of what I saw last night.

I'm going to be honest, I only knew Sasha Velour from Drag Race. It truly only scratches the surface. They are a top-tier experimental performance artist.

Yes, it is a show about all of the unsung voices in the queer/drag community throughout history. That being said, the concept was actually so cool. You are watching the entire history that took place on the grounds of a cabaret space. I don't just mean the history of that space itself, I mean queer people existing throughout history. It not only works for narrative storytelling, but allows for every kind of performance type. I mean every kind... There's choreographed dance work across multimedia projections, jaw-dropping visuals, interpretive dance, clown/Commedia dell'arte, illusion magic, costume changes so quick they should be studied by theoretical physicists, and a killer soundtrack. 90% of this is done all visually and the story is still so clear.

I'll be honest, I even got emotional, and I thought I was dead inside. There is something I admire so much in drag performance. They acknowledge and give voice to the history of those that came before, but they do not sit in victimhood. Instead, they put that energy into living as joyously and freely as you could ever want. It's so impactful to watch someone be their authentic fullest selves.

In summation: This melted my brain. It was like David Bowie and Lady Gaga on acid. Sincerely, thank you.

Tags: Sasha Velour, JFL Toronto, Just for Laughs, Ru Paul's Drag Race, drag show, performance art, multimedia

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