'The Least Problematic Woman in the World' Off-Broadway review — Dylan Mulvaney spreads her wings
Read our review of The Least Problematic Woman in the World off Broadway, written and performed by social media star Dylan Mulvaney in her NYC stage debut.
After years of reaching millions of viewers from the confines of a phone screen, Dylan Mulvaney is spreading her wings with The Least Problematic Woman in the World, her first Off-Broadway show. Literally. In this vulnerable yet jubilant solo piece, the social media star soars, and it all begins with Mulvaney in a pure white dress and sky-high wings.
She first enters the Lucille Lortel Theatre as "Angel 666," who's been sent down to Earth in the bodies of various troubled women — "I was Cleopatra, Margaret Thatcher, OJ’s wife!" she sings in the first of six original tunes in the show — and hopes to be drama-free this time around. Instead, God issues the angel her biggest challenge yet, placing her in a boy's body even though she's a woman. Cue controversy, first in her Catholic home and then on a greater scale once Mulvaney becomes a public figure online.
This framing device cleverly skewers the "God doesn't make mistakes" argument used by some anti-trans worshippers: Here, God knows exactly what he's doing, and he helps Mulvaney at a pivotal moment in her self-discovery. It also subtly demonstrates the central thesis of Mulvaney's show long before she states it outright: that everyone's identity is multifaceted, and we're all in desperate need of that little thing called nuance. For Mulvaney, her Catholic faith, her sexual and gender identities, and her decidedly irreverent sense of humor about the whole mixture can coexist, and they do to thoroughly entertaining effect in Least Problematic Woman.
As she romps through her childhood spent as a "twink," her part-time job at Lush, her train trip to the other side of the gender binary, and her public infamy, Mulvaney exhibits natural charm and effervescence. Even when she's putting on a heightened, quasi-cartoonish version of herself, she remains as unfiltered as a sinner in a confession booth. (In one scene, featuring the voice of Alan Cumming as a homophobic priest, she actually is one.)
That's true in her moments of both broad comedy and deep sorrow. "In my early days of transition, my girlhood, I had never felt closer to God," Mulvaney reveals ruefully at a late point in the show, when she feels like she's totally bungled God's plan. Not for lack of trying. We see her struggle to call herself trans for years, and when she finally embraces the label, she dons a '50s-style bubblegum pink dress and becomes the face of "Trans Palatability." It's a fake generic brand that stands in both for the many real brands she's (in)famously promoted (Bud Light, Maybelline) and for her efforts to be widely accepted that ended up having the opposite effect. Performing not just this section, but the whole show against a glossy, pink backdrop of femininity so ideal that it's practically Barbie's Dreamhouse is yet another way of subtly pushing back against the backlash: Instead of leaning into girlish stereotypes to please others, Mulvaney's doing it for herself.
Least Problematic Woman falters only slightly in certain one-off scenes, like a fight between Mulvaney and her mom depicted an MMA match, that don't entirely cohere with the piece's main framework. But Mulvaney's comic chops make even such moments fun to watch. Fun is something Least Problematic Woman offers in spades, and being able to share in trans joy with Mulvaney is a treat.
The Least Problematic Woman in the World summary
In the autobiographical solo show The Least Problematic Woman in the World, social media star Dylan Mulvaney shares her life story, from her childhood as a gay Catholic kid to her public transition to female in her 20s. She strove to be a "palatable" transgender woman in order to be accepted, but when people both in and outside the trans community criticized her anyway, Mulvaney had to decide how to present herself and her identity on her terms.
Mulvaney first rose to fame in 2022 with her TikTok series "Days of Girlhood," a daily video diary about her gender transition. She also has a background in theatre, having performed in musicals across the country, and Least Problematic Woman marks her Off-Broadway debut. She premiered the show at the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival under the title Faghag.
What to expect at The Least Problematic Woman in the World
For 90 minutes at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, it's Dylan Mulvaney's world, and you're just living in it. Seriously — Mulvaney recruits audience members to take on select roles, whether from their seat or on stage, and she herself plays numerous characters both live and via pre-recorded screen footage. Other celebrities also make digital cameos, so if you are one of the lucky attendees to get a part, you can technically say you've guest-starred in a show alongside the likes of Alan Cumming, Jonathan Van Ness, and Rosie O'Donnell.
Least Problematic Woman is high-energy and glitzy throughout, with plenty of costume changes and a sleek, high-tech pink set by Tom Rogers that one could easily imagine on Broadway. References to pop culture and online slang are targeted at Mulvaney's plugged-in fans, but you don't need to understand all or even most of them to enjoy her story.
What audiences are saying about The Least Problematic Woman in the World
As of writing, The Least Problematic Woman in the World has a 95% audience approval rating on the review aggregator Show-Score. Mulvaney's performance and the balance of humor and heart in her writing have earned largely positive responses from theatregoers.
- "Through a series of tough subjects and raw emotion, Dylan Mulvaney is able to tell her story in the most charming way. Her honesty and vulnerability bring this show to life!" - Show-Score user Ray D
- "I didn't know what to expect but was so thoroughly entertained the whole time. Kudos to Dylan and the entire team! It was a musical, play, stand-up comedy all at once." - Show-Score user Erin C
- "Incredibly engaging performance and well-crafted narrative. Dylan Mulvaney just knocks it out of the park. Had me in stitches and tears." - Show-Score user Lauren T
- "Dylan is EVERYTHING. Funny and vulnerable and clever and honest. This show was such a gift. Just how you want a night at the theatre to feel!" - Kiana H
- "I laughed, I cried, and I felt such a community while watching this show. The interactive bits where the audience participated, and when Dylan was visiting with people in the seats before the show started really showed that she is who she is -- not just some façade behind a screen." - Show-Score user Pola D
Read more audience reviews of The Least Problematic Woman in the World on Show-Score.
Who should see The Least Problematic Woman in the World
- Fans of Mulvaney who've only seen her through a screen will appreciate the opportunity to experience a different side of her live. Mulvaney often interacts with the audience and even, at my performance, took photos with theatregoers (in full angel garb) before the show began.
- People who like musicals, but prefer them on the shorter side, will enjoy Least Problematic Woman. It only has six songs, but they span a wide range of genres: a bouncy bubblegum pop tune, a classic Broadway-inspired number, an electro-pop banger inspired by Charli XCX's brat, an 11 o'clock power ballad, and more. The songwriters include, like Mulvaney, internet-popular talents: Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss (Broadway's Six), Mark Sonnenblick (Netflix's KPop Demon Hunters), Ingrid Michaelson (Broadway's The Notebook), and Abigail Barlow (TikTok's The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical).
- People interested in LGBTQ+ stories, particularly trans stories, should definitely see Least Problematic Woman. Mulvaney discusses her journey in a very accessible way, so even people with little knowledge of the transgender experience can learn a bit and have fun doing it.
- To quote Show-Score user MH: "Ryan Murphy's Gleeks are at PEAK purchasing power/age/interest/need for entertainment that marries nostalgia and the current existential dread that only millennials can understand."
Learn more about The Least Problematic Woman in the World off Broadway
The Least Problematic Woman in the World is a 90-minute joy bomb. Even in its more somber moments, the show uplifts audiences thanks to Dylan Mulvaney's charming magnetism and openness.
Photo credit: Dylan Mulvaney in The Least Problematic Woman in the World off Broadway. (Photos by Andy Henderson)
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