For those following gay content, Alan Cumming is likely a familiar face, perhaps due to his work on Traitors. He co-owns Club Cumming in NYC, a venue that has become a staple for the queer community to dance, find joy, and exist unapologetically and freely. A wonderful crew of people manages the establishment, and this docuseries—consisting of six episodes lasting approximately twenty minutes each—documents the community they have built through kindness, diversity, and a healthy dose of mischief. Set in Manhattan, the series shows Alan Cumming himself mingling with club co-owner and manager Darren Dryden, comedian Jake Cornell, drag king Cunning Stunt, drag queen Brini Maxwell, gogo dancer and drag performer Michelle Wynters, and cabaret singer Daphne Always as they all work together.
Club Cumming acts as a stubborn remnant of a bygone New York era that simply won't disappear. While the exterior appears quite ordinary from the street, the interior reveals a space filled with overhead chandeliers and walls adorned with murals of nightlife icons. This tiny stage hosts a chaotic, wild mashup of downtown weirdos and diverse performance styles, ranging from Broadway performers on their nights off to drag queens and kings and burlesque acts. The bar's true magic lies in its small, communal, and personal atmosphere, providing a sanctuary for people to escape the heaviness of the current political moment, the stress of the world, and their daily anxieties. Through the show, we get brief glimpses into the lives of the staff. Cunning Stunt runs Manhattan's only drag king competition and drag king bingo night right at the club, a team that even landed a feature in Times Square. Daphne Always, a regular host and performer who has been there since the start, is navigating the US political climate regarding queer people and is contemplating a move to Iceland for a few years. This storyline becomes central to the series, particularly as she weighs how that relocation would impact her relationship with her boyfriend, a trucker working here in the States. Michelle Wynters, a former go go boy, is understandably anxious as she performs for the first time since transitioning in front of her invited family. Rounding out the group is stand up comic Jake.
I felt good watching this, which is a sensation I haven't experienced in quite some time. While Alan Cumming is credited everywhere from the title to the club itself, he doesn't actually dominate the spotlight in this documentary. Instead, the focus remains on the staff, their unique personal histories, and their shared devotion to the community they have constructed; this is precisely why the show is so easy to watch. The episodes avoid dragging, providing just enough of each performer's narrative to ensure you become invested in their lives. The presentation—including the story board, the interviews, and the snippets and showreels of various club performances—is perfect. This serves as a lesson for documentary filmmakers: avoid overloading the viewer and provide just enough to maintain audience interest. I personally would have enjoyed seeing more emphasis on co-owner Darren, too. We learn a little about his boyfriend and his intention to open a pop-up version of the club down in New Orleans near the end, and his charming presence could have added even more depth to the production. As an NYC resident, I didn't even know this place existed until watching this series. I plan to visit, and I recommend others go check it out as well. As Alan says in the show, it is one of the most special places you can be—a welcoming, ego-free space for total creative and queer freedom where artists can do whatever they want.
Ultimately, this is a real celebration of community that feels warm, genuine, and completely watchable. (7/10)
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