Orlando Fringe 2025
The Fabulous King James Bible
New Generation Theatrical
Genre: Comedic, Comedy, Fringe Theatre, Historical, LGBTQIA+
Venue: 10Ten Brewing Co
Festival: Orlando Fringe
Low Down
A fabulous farce showing how the King James Bible came to be with a bit of flamboyant exaggeration.
Review
I am going to do my best in this review not to say the word fabulous. The Fabulous King James Bible is just that: fabulous. Sharpay Evans would be proud. Fabulous. Fabulous. Fabulous. Okay, now that that is out of the way, let us not say fabulous again.
The Fabulous King James Bible follows two monks hounding King James to change his sinful ways. King James is a notorious homosexual whose Queen is nowhere to be seen. His favors to a certain Duke have been getting the attention of the church and court. The conversation they had would lead to the modern English translation of the bible (AKA the King James Bible). The play raises deep questions about who tells our stories, who has a right to learn and be educated, and how religion changes over time. It is a comedy with a fascinating exploration of religious and queer history.
Writer and director Michael Knight has written a comedy that is humorous, educational, and enthralling. One of the biggest surprises of the show is in fact how much substance there is to the material. Sure, the show features all the generic farce tropes of door slamming, witty quips, and slapstick humor. It comes with the territory. Knight’s writing and direction, performed by four excellent cast members, also showcase the seriousness of the material at hand too. The decisions being made in the room will change the country forever. Balancing a comedic farce with Conclave level political intrigue is no small feat yet The Fabulous King James Bible rises to the occasion. Alexander Mrazek as King James shifts effortlessly from flamboyant gay mess to unapologetic leader. His performance is a spectacular tour de force.
The show is a spectacular work of LGBTQ+ theatre. For every joke, there is an equal serious debate about the role religion must play and how we abide by it. The themes of questioning religious practice, hypocrisy, and authoritarianism are particularly relevant today. Highlighting the flamboyant King James is necessary to exemplify how queer people have always been here. King James, as much as he is a spoiled flamboyant stereotype through the script, is also witty, smart, and kind-hearted.
This is a wonderful hour of theatre with humor, heart, and wit. It is… shall we go as far to say… fabulous?
