The Unabridged Mrs. Vera’s Daybook (2023) Movie Drinking Game
Down a Shot: whenever sequins appear onscreen
Down a Shot: whenever Faulk and/or Johnstone shows off one of their unique fabrics or upcycled inventions/regalia while browsing through the makeshift closet/workshop.
By: Vidal D’costa (A Toast) –
The Unabridged Mrs. Vera’s Daybook features San Francisco-based artistes and total power couple, David Faulk and Michael Johnstone, who founded ‘Verasphere’, a space for lovers of drag and who open up about their creative process in this unapologetically flamboyant and robust indie documentary, which also explores the versatility of drag, with an emphasis on the impact of drag performers and performances in pop culture as well as in advocacy practices too.
A Toast
A Peek Into Mrs Vera’s Closet (that pun is more of a happy accident) could have been a far more apt title, in my opinion. As someone who’s bi and proud, watching the out and proud rainbow-coloured (sometimes quite literally!) creative humans in this documentary explore the freedom of dressing up in drag and normalising the same was truly a treat. As for hobbyists and those who are heavy into amateur cosplay/arts and crafts (sometimes you don’t even have to be a part of the LGBTQIA+ circle in order to appreciate the sheer beauty and fun of it all), the behind the scenes of watching both Faulk and Johnstone hard at work in their workshop creating their next big, dynamic, and show-stopping low-budget costume that will tower over and upstage most Met Gala outfits are definitely bound to leave many with some class ideas for their next DIY project and with lessons in upcycling too.
However, not all of it is a bed of roses (or in this case, a glossy smorgasbord of upcycled multicolored camping tents), as the documentary also utilizes clips from a dark era for the community in the 80s, when homophobia and stigma during the AIDS epidemic were rampant and a death knell in itself, eventually leading to the rise of Gay Rights activism campaigns such as ACT UP (many of the talking heads involved in this documentary were involved in activism during this period, too, and add their two cents on the same).
While much of the storytelling is pretty straightforward and the events play out like a by-the-book documentary, I will give the director Robert James extra points for creativity in peppering in some slightly whimsical sitcom-esque components into the scenes navigating the playfulness and joie de vivre of the lead pair who live in adjacent apartments but still share a sense of closeness and intimacy that also shines through in their PDA moments together.
Most importantly, what stays with viewers is the message behind this documentary- That even a single item of clothing or wearing a makeshift costume that’s stitched or stapled together with love (often entirely from scratch) can feel symbolic in itself, thus further empowering the many members of the LGBTQIA+ community who wish to express their true self via the sheer beauty and blissful poetry of drag .
Verdict
A fascinating indie that’s very ‘slice of life meets serious documentary’, with a dash of fun, splash of colour and openness, plus a whole lot of gay, that effectively captures both the glitzy and gutsy aspects of activism while also spreading awareness about the empowering facet of drag. So do give it a whirl!
