[Tribeca 2023] TAYLOR MAC'S 24-DECADE HISTORY OF POPULAR MUSIC -- An Extraordinary Feat of Theatre and Filmmaking

Review by Sean Boelman

Concert documentaries are a tricky subgenre for a filmmaker to pull off, because it’s extremely difficult to capture the lightning in a bottle that is a live event, and that difficulty is only amplified when the event is one-of-a-kind. Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music is thoroughly impressive as a work on the stage, and it translates surprisingly well to the screen thanks to deft direction by accomplished documentarians Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman.

The movie is a presentation of Taylor Mac’s award-winning and acclaimed stage show — a 24-hour journey through the history of popular music and how these songs reflect the society in which they rose to fame — or, in some cases, notoriety. Even if one is not a fan of this type of exuberant drag performance, it would be hard not to be impressed by the sheer ambition of Mac’s feat.

Throughout the course of the show, Mac sings a series of songs that represent the types of songs that were popular from 1776 to the then-present of 2016. Yet, even though it has taken seven years for the film version of this show to be made, the message still remains eerily relevant to this day.

Filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman had nothing short of a monumental task to accomplish when it came to capturing this stage show for the small screen. Of course, it’s a 24-hour “performance art concert” that was as much about the experience of being there as it was about the music being presented and stories being told.

The performance footage by Epstein and Friedman does an extraordinary job of capturing and communicating the energy that filled the auditorium during Mac’s live performances. It’s a kinetically edited mixture of close-ups of Mac performing, wide shots showcasing the entire ensemble on the stage, and cutaways to the audience’s reaction — or participation, when relevant.

However, Epstein and Friedman make the wise choice of not simply presenting a condensed recording of the show. In between clips of the performance, there is behind-the-scenes footage in which Mac and the backstage crew explain the logistics — and sometimes even the meaning — of a portion of the performance. Some of the discussions with the show’s costume designer provide fascinating moments.

Mac is also not afraid to challenge the audience — both the live audience and viewers of the film version — to reflect on the more challenging parts of the history being discussed. One of the most impactful moments in the movie comes when Mac sings a minstrel song before instructing the audience not to applaud, explaining the dark historical context of the piece. It’s a somber moment that encourages us to reflect on the significance that art can have, both positive and negative.

Mac’s show is already impressive in its own right, but the film that Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman have made is an extraordinary music documentary that will hopefully give the performance a much-deserved second light. Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music is absolutely essential viewing for fans of music history and queer history.

Taylor Mac’s 24-Decade History of Popular Music screens at the 2023 Tribeca Festival, which runs June 7-18 in NYC and June 19 through July 2 online.

Rating: 5/5