I've seen Cleopatra twice (also having seeing Judith, Divine Sister, Die Mommie Die!, and The Tribute Artist, as well as other plays without him in them) and it's absolutely a gem. It's classic Busch giving us what we want to hear and see. The entire cast shines and supports in their own ways.
Whizzer, my favorite line was the reaction to the soothsayer at the beginning, "Well, that's what makes it camp!" I also commented to my friend that the closing line of this play is probably his greatest closing line. I won't share it because I honestly don't want to spoil it, but it downright slayed me.
Having seen Busch a number of times, that touching curtain speech is always word-for-word the same, down to stuttering over certain words. I love that he just wants to say the exact right thing, thanking the theatre, making it personal by grabbing Julie's (or in this case Andy's) hand, and making us laugh when asking for donations.
He is a true New York treasure and if this production returns as rumored, I'll be seeing it twice more.
I think most of the "downtown" Busch plays work with another actor/actress in the lead. No one plays it like Charles, but they're still out-and-out funny. I'd love to see Jinkx Monsoon do 2 or 3 in rep somewhere for a few months. Maybe Vampire Lesbians of Sodom, Psycho Beach Party, and Theodora, She-Bitch of Byzantium?
