Dylan Mulvaney in The Least Problematic Woman in the World review: ‘Equal parts comedy, confession and camp’
Mulvaney has made her Off-Broadway debut with her first solo autobiographical show running until 19 October
Dylan Mulvaney has made her Off-Broadway debut with The Least Problematic Woman in the World, her first solo autobiographical show. The play opened at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in New York’s West Village last week.
Mulvaney, who rose to fame in March 2022 with her TikTok series Days of Girlhood documenting her gender transition, shared her personal journey on stage.
The Least Problematic Woman in the World is playing at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, 121 Christopher Street, New York City until 19 October, with tickets still available on the show’s official website.
It was hard not to miss the metal detectors at the entrance of the Lucille Lortel Theatre, or the bodyguard walking beside Dylan Mulvaney as she greeted fans inside and helped them find their seats. In a time when trans people have become political pawns in a Trump-era climate, where simply being oneself has again become dangerous, this level of security felt less excessive than essential.
But once we were inside that little safe haven, the production itself was a joy. The Barbie Dream house inspired set by Tom Rogers turned the Lortel into a bubblegum-pink fantasy, and the whimsical costumes by Enver Chakartash fit perfectly within that world, playful, clever and full of life.
Mulvaney began the evening with fabulous angel wings and a bold proclamation: She wanted to be put on earth as the least problematic woman there ever was. At first, the show seemed to be trying too hard. Every line reached for a punchline, some hit, many missed. Her childhood section, full of rapid-fire humour, could have benefited from a few quieter, more reflective beats to ground the comedy and propel the story.
“Beautifully written and performed with perfect timing”
Then came the turning point: Mulvaney clocking in at Lush Cosmetics. The scene moving swiftly from the hilarity of her clashes with a new gay coworker named Carson to the sharp shock of him asking if she was trans. The way she portrayed that moment, how jarring it was to hear the question aloud, followed by her getting him fired, was beautifully written and performed with perfect timing.
The Lush sequence segued into one of the night’s most affecting moments: A tender story about a straight man in college who told her she was beautiful, and for the first time, she believed it. Each night, a different straight audience member reads his lines, in what Mulvaney jokingly calls their “act of trans allyship for the year.” It was a fun moment of audience interaction, but also a deeply moving scene, a rare combination the show hit perfectly. When Mulvaney takes her clothes off, baring both her body and the emotions of a college sexual awakening, she truly is baring it all.
The “Transatlantic Train-line” sequence that followed was another highlight, tracing the emotional weight of finally saying “I’m trans” out loud. When Mulvaney responded to her inner voice with, “But I’m normal,” the words landed heavily across the LGBTQIA+ audience.
“Those moments were important in a time when many people do not see faith and trans identity existing side by side”
From there, she guided us through the highs and lows of her womanhood journey, stories most of her fans already know if they have followed her on social media, but hearing them reframed live felt intimate and brave. In the wake of her so-called “cancellation,” she sat onstage and asked, “What do you do when your happiness causes someone else pain?” That line was more to the audience, but throughout the performance, she also speaks directly to God. Those moments were important in a time when many people do not see faith and trans identity existing side by side.
The show ended with a long winded song describing who Mulvaney is. She sings, she smiles, and she reminds us that she doesn’t have to have every answer. Why should she? Few of us do. The pressure placed on her to present herself perfectly has been relentless, and her willingness to show imperfection might be her greatest strength.
Ultimately, The Least Problematic Woman in the World feels like a portrait of a performer mid-evolution. It’s not a perfectly crafted solo show, but it’s a brave, heartfelt, and necessary one. Mulvaney invites her audience to laugh, to listen, and to see her not as a headline but as a human being. And in today’s world, that might be the least problematic thing of all.