Strike a pose, now swagger, move those hips a little more and don’t forget to strut those feet. Oooh, and the outfits should be as dramatically scrumptious as say, museum artefacts – in fact why not take those? At this point you might be asking, what’s this all about? Set in New York 1980-90s, Pose looks at what life can entail for our characters who are LGBTQ+, mainly black, Latino, and living close to poverty. Rejected in most cases by their families, they set about forming a new one, and together they compete in a fabulous underground ballroom, both in celebration of who they are and for the prestige of winning. But separate from this world of dance, music and sheer brilliance, are the everyday fights for; acceptance; a chance to live (with several characters being diagnosed with AIDS); and to reach their dreams – from bring a professional dancer, to finding love.
In a feel-good nature of fairy tales, this show has the good and the bad in equal measure, and in keeping with this is Mother Elektra (Dominique Jackson) and her step-mother vibes, but is it all a show? Either way she’s the villain to Blanca (Mj Rodriguez) the principal character of the series and a lady long-ignored in her ideas, but not anymore as she breaks from Elektra’s House to form her own – the ‘House of Evangelista.’ But Houses in Pose aren’t what you think – yes, they’re four walls and a roof – but they’re also “the family you get to choose” and together this House of Evangelista won’t let themselves be beaten down by life, they’re stronger than that and together they’ll try to win the ballroom’s contests.
Luckily for them they have the godfather of ballrooms, Pray Tell (played by Billy Porter who always steals the show), to support them. His character’s so alive, deliciously real and full of vibrancy – something the show has capitalised on, with him sharing more of the screen time with Blanca, and the two (Billy Porter and Mj Rodriguez) work wonderfully together. Hitting the ground running, Blanca soon recruits, Damon (Ryan Jamaal Swain), a dancer of great skill and versatility, his big dance number to Witney Houston’s I Wanna Dance With Somebody will have your eyes glued and your heart begging for more. It’s like he’s been told he can suddenly breathe, where before he had to hold everything in; his family home being far from happy, and that was before he was kicked out. But in Blanca’s home he finds acceptance, love, and well, yes there’s a fair amount of bickering. One of the most touching moments in the show is when Damon has the sex-talk he was unable to have with his parents, but can now have with his new “Mother” Blanca – and it’s a stunning performance by both actors.
Another prominent member in the House of Evangelista is Angel (Indya Moore) a transexual sex-worker who dreams simply of being in love and of being seen as the woman she is. To her the American dream is a family; a home and a husband – seeing this chance in Stan (Evan Peters), but is he the one? And will Angel still want the same dream? Then there’s Lil Papi (Angel Bismark Curiel), funny, sweet and wrapped in a world of drug-dealing. These are just a few of the remarkable characters and outstanding actors of Pose, there are of course many more both to love, hate and connect with.
Although set not so long ago, Pose shows a sharp contrast in times, and not just in the outfits with their extra chiffon and shoulder pads, or the cell-phones so big they needed two hands to hold. But in perspectives, for a start those working at Trump Tower were seen as impressive, powerful and going places, quite a contrast to today. The diagnosis of HIV was treated with judgement and feared in its chance of being terminal, while today there’s more knowledge and greater medical advancements. The show also comments on the cost of rejection, discrimination, fear, loneliness and of dreams being shattered, and though things have improved greatly in the last few decades, this contrast to 80s’ prejudice screams the loudest, because in truth there’s not a big enough contrast, with the show reflecting the miles we still have to go today.
Pose has avoided the mistake of many TV shows – of casting outside the community it seeks to represent, and instead has cast trans-actors to play trans-characters. This has been referred to as historical and revolutionary, personally I think it was just long overdue.
Glitz and glam dominate the ballroom scene of Pose, and so much so that it makes the glitterball look like plain pieces of paper in comparison to those who sashay down the catwalk.
Creator: Steven Canals
Other notable works:
- Love, Victor 2020-2022
Creator: Brad Falchuk
Other notable works:
- 9-1-1 2018 –
- American Crime Story 2016 –
- Scream Queens 2015-2016
- American Horror Story 2011 –
- Nip/Tuck 2003-2010
Creator: Ryan Murphy
Other notable works:
- A Secret Love 2020
- 9-1-1 2018 –
- Feud: Bette and Joan 2017
- American Crime Story 2016 –
- Scream Queens 2015-2016
- American Horror Story 2011 –
- Nip/Tuck 2003-2010
Inspired by Paris is Burning (1990) a documentary film by Jennie Livingston.
