What a great night of Philadelphia gay theatre. I just saw Two Street: A Tale of Star Crossed Mummers as part of the Philadelphia Fringe Arts Festival. The show was held at the Church of the Crucifixion at 620 S.8th Street in Bella Vista, better known as the home of Luna Theater Company.

I grew up going to my Grandmom’s house on New Year’s Day to watch the mummers parade live on Broad Street, as any good Philadelphian did. I saw the parade as a kid, way before I admitted to myself that I am gay, but I always thought it was funny how "gay" the mummers parade is. I was very excited to see a play that is about gay mummers and I was not disappointed.

The play depicts very real Philadelphia characters, they act how Philadelphians act, eat foods typical of Philadelphia and use a lot of Philadelphia expressions. The show has a lot of dancing, as any good mummers show should. All of the dance numbers were choreographed very well, by Tim Popp.

However, The chorus was not always in sync with each other but there so many redeeming qualities to cover this. The show has a lot of drunk mummers partying on second street, which is very accurately depicted. As any good Philadelphia show there is some fighting. The stage combat was very well done, thanks in part to the director Terry Brennan.

The play is about two gay mummers from different brigades. One of the brigades always comes in first place. The other brigade is always a contender in the competition but never wins. The two mummers from competing brigades fall in love in spite of family reservations. The story expresses many layers. It touches on family dynamics.

They talk about brothers growing up with dead parents and parental legacy pressures. They talk about stereotypes of mummers, very straight men and flamboyant gay men, and brotherly love, of course. The story also touches on how a relationship can make a person distracted and better individually.

I did wish the ending was different. It ended anti-climatically and abruptly. However, the show ended with the two main characters kissing on the stage in sailor outfits under falling confetti. It was a beautiful image reminiscent of that famous picture of the man and woman kissing in times square to celebrate the end of World War II, but it had a gay twist which made the image remarkable.

I texted my mummers watching straight cousin after the play and told her that I just saw a gay mummers play. She responded saying "that might be the best text she ever got." It was definitely a great story line involving gay mummers. I definitely recommend seeing Two Street: A Tale of Star Crossed Mummers.