Club Cumming (Documentary Series)

Anyone into gay content probably already knows the name Alan Cumming (also thanks to Traitors). He's a co-owner of Club Cumming in NYC, which has turned into one of those go-to spots for the queer community to gather, find some joy, dance, and just exist freely and unapologetically. There's a whole crew of great people who keep the place running. This docuseries, six episodes at about twenty minutes each, captures this community that's built itself up over time, full of kindness, diversity, and a healthy dose of mischief. It follows cabaret singer Daphne Always, gogo dancer and drag performer Michelle Wynters, drag queen Brini Maxwell, drag king Cunning Stunt, comedian Jake Cornell, and club co-owner and manager Darren Dryden, along with Cumming himself, all mingling together at work in Manhattan.

Club Cumming feels like this holdover from an older version of New York that just refuses to fade away. It looks pretty unremarkable from the street, but step inside and you've got chandeliers overhead, murals of nightlife icons covering the walls, and this tiny stage hosting everything from burlesque acts to drag queens and kings to Broadway performers on their nights off, plus every kind of downtown weirdo imaginable. It's this wild, chaotic mashup of New York personalities and performance styles all crammed into one space. What makes the bar special is exactly how small, personal, and communal it feels. It gives people somewhere to shake off their daily stress, the stress of everything going on in the world, and the heaviness of the political moment we're all living through right now. The show gives us little glimpses into the lives of the people who work there. Cunning Stunt runs the only drag king bingo night and drag king competition in Manhattan, both happening right at the club, and his team even ended up featured in Times Square. Daphne Always, another regular host and performer who's been there since the beginning, is dealing with the current political climate around queer people in the US and is now considering moving to Iceland for a few years. Her storyline ends up being pretty central to the series, especially figuring out how that move would affect her relationship with her boyfriend, who works as a trucker here in the States. Michelle Wynters, who used to work as a go go boy, is performing for the first time since transitioning and has invited her family to come watch, understandably making her pretty anxious. And of course there's stand up comic Jake rounding things out too.

Honestly, watching this left me feeling genuinely good. It's been a while since something hit me like this did. Even though Alan Cumming's name is all over the show and the club itself, he never really takes over the spotlight in this documentary. It's really about the staff, their individual stories, and how much they all believe in this community they've built together, and that's what makes the show so easy to keep watching. None of the episodes drag on too long, and they give you just enough of each performer's story that you end up genuinely invested in their lives. The story board created for this show, the presentation, the interviews and the showreels and snippets from the club of various performances are just right and perfect. This is the kind of things documentary filmmakers need to keep in mind. Don't overload, give enough so that audience interest stays put. Personally I would've liked to see more focus on co-owner Darren too. Near the end we learn a bit about his boyfriend and his plans to open a pop-up version of the club down in New Orleans. He seems like he's got a really charming presence and could've added even more depth to the show. I actually live in NYC myself, and thanks to this series I now know this place exists. I'd honestly recommend people go check it out, and I plan to as well. Like Alan says in the show, this is one of the most special places you can be, welcoming, no ego involved, just a space for total creative and queer freedom where artists can genuinely do whatever they want.

Bottom line, warm, genuine, and completely watchable, a real celebration of community. (7/10)