Pageant of the Disenfranchised

“Master of the (miss) Universe,” performance artist Noel Alumit’s solo show at Highways, is a sweet but slight autobiographical reminiscence that uses the operative structure of beauty competitions to channel its Proustian flow.

While authentic video footage from various beauty contests flickers in the background, Alumit waxes sentimental and acerbic by turns in describing his life as a young, gay, Filipino boy growing up in the Ramparts area of Los Angeles. During those tough times, Alumit derived solace and inspiration from the idealized spectacle of televised pageants.

As Alumit remembers it, he was fully 12 years old before he saw his first Filipino on television. That shortage of ethnic role models was richly supplied by such ethnically diverse shows as the Miss Universe contest. In a particularly moving segment, Alumit recalls the excitement and pride he and his Filipino classmates felt when a Filipina contestant made the finals.

Not that Alumit doesn’t wryly acknowledge how controversial beauty contests are. He addresses that issue in his portrayal of Felicia, a lesbian Filipina friend who reluctantly agrees to watch a televised pageant with Alumit. Anne Etue’s direction and Cris Capp’s lighting and technical direction help focus an occasionally erratic evening. The tone of the show is mostly lighthearted, but Alumit deals with serious issues along the way. What begins as a campy look at an elite subculture subtly segues into an examination of society’s disenfranchised. Alumit skillfully weaves his experiences working with AIDS patients into the fabric of his story. He’s less successful incorporating the details of his literary career. The revelation that he has just sold his first novel, and where it can be obtained, seems more a blatant plug than a fitting denouement to this funny, affecting show.

*

“Masters of the (miss) Universe,” Highways, 1651 18th St., Santa Monica. Fridays-Saturdays, 8:30 p.m. Ends Sept. 8. $15. (310) 453-1755. Running time: 1 hour, 50 minutes.