By: Julia Aidan
Submitted: 2009-08-03 20:11:21 | Word Count: 447
La Cage Aux Folles plays the story of two homosexual friends who run a transvestite nightclub in St Tropez. The intricacy of the plot expands when their son declares to marry a woman and that to the daughter of a moral crusader. Since it was the first homosexual play at Broadway the director refrained the main characters for going close enough to offend the audience.
The Scene opens showing both homosexual lovers, Georges and Albin, who dances cabaret as Zaza, living happily in their nightclub for years. Their black maid Jacob also stays with them. Georges' son comes in and declares that he is engaged to Anne Dindon, whose father is a moral crusader. The son Jean Michel has lied to Annie that his father is a retired diplomat. The girls family wanted to meet the future in-laws to which Jean requests Albin to absent himself and his father to dignify the house decoration. He will invite Sybil whom he has not seen much as a mother. Next morning Georges requests Alibin to dress like a macho and he subdues the decoration of the apartment. But Sybil was unable to come. And Annie's parents arrive. To save the day from ruin Albin dresses up like a forty-year-old woman. Jacob the maid was so nervous at the prospect that she burnt the food and ultimately, they went to a restaurant, owned by a friend, Chez Jacquline. Jacquline did not know of the development as such he asks Albin for a performance which he does but he was so frenzied that his wig came out disclosing his real identity.
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Displeased with the revelation the Dindon's plead with their daughter to abandon Jean, but since she is in love she refuses. Jean repenting his attitude towards Albin apologizes to Albin. Before the departure of the Annie's parents Jacquline comes with the press to photograph these notorious anti- homosexual activists with Zaza (Albin). Sensing the gravity of the situation Georges and Albin propose Annie's parents to agree to the marriage and they will them escaping through La Cage Aux Folles next door. The Dindons agree and leave the place as planned, dressed in drag as members of the nightclubs floorshow. The play ends at this.
La Cage Aux Folles is an everlasting and delightfully comic tale of family values, unconditional love and, the need to be proud of who we are. The 2004 Broadway revival of La Cage Aux Folles, won the Tony Award for best revival, and the 2008 London revival acquired the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival.
