Photos by Danny Kahn
Alan Cumming turns his daddy vibes on for his one-man show
RICH LOPEZ | Staff writer
rich@dallasvoice.com
“I tour in spurts,” Alan Cumming said.
Of course, he would say it that way. The double entendrés are too easy with his last name.
But he also speaks the truth.
As the performer heads to Dallas this weekend bringing his show Alan Cumming is Not Acting His Age at the Moody Performance Hall, he’s just taking a break from his East Coast duties to head to Texas.
His tour dates only include performances in Dallas, San Antonio and, just before here, his first time in Houston.
“I popped my Houston cherry, you could say.”
See how he is?
Known for a variety of roles across television, stage and film, this version of the actor is straight-up Cumming. As he approaches 60, he finds it curious how the mixed messages of aging come his way.
In publicity for the show, he’s said. “I’m constantly told, even now in my sixth decade, that I am child-like or puckish, and yet at the same time I’m also called a silver fox and a daddy,’ he says. ‘I think we all get really mixed messages about aging. We’re told to worship at the fountain of youth, to do everything we can to our bodies and our minds to stay young, yet then we bandy around pejoratives like ‘grow up’ or ‘act your age,’ even though we’re ‘mutton dressed as lamb.’”
Cumming spoke briefly with Dallas Voice about coming to Texas and how aging might hit a little different with queer folks — and about the rumors of a certain film sequel.
Dallas Voice: As a bi identifier, do you ever think that “acting your age” means something different for queer people? Alan Cumming: Oh, interesting. I don’t think so. I think queer people fight harder, though. But I think we’re just as guilty of saying ‘I’m too old to do that’ like any straight person would.
As queer people, we don’t all have children or those heteronormative patterns don’t always apply. I think a lot of people think they have just stopped functioning. And I know queer people can do that. I think we fight harder against it, but at the same time, you hear people say, “Back in the day, I was much better.” And then we detach ourselves from that not feeling a part of it anymore. We’re just older, and there’s always something different and new to try.
Why just these few Texas shows? I tour in spurts. There’s nothing Machiavellian, or it’s not on the gay agenda about these Texas dates. There are certain places I’ve thought of taking the show, and Texas was one of them. I’ve performed there before, and Texas audiences respond so well. There’s always these easy sort of tropes you can adhere to certain states, but then they always surprise you.
Texas is quite lovely, and I connect with the audiences in a very personal way.
Do you like being on the road? I do. I get to go with my band, and it’s a lovely sort of traveler’s life. We’ll go out on the town and meet people and see these different parts of America.
So are the rumors about Romy and Michele’s High School reunion true? You know, you probably know as much as I do. I think it’s happening, and I’m waiting for a script. In a funny way though; it’s interesting that it would be 30 years later, which may make it liberating for the writer.
Alan Cumming performs at 7 and 9:30 p.m. on Friday. For tickets, visit ATTPAC.org. See a separate interview with Cumming, by Dallas Voice freelancer Jenny Block, online,
