‘Ennio!’ a good one-note joke

REVIEW. Laughter abounds at the Wimberly Theatre, where drag meets paper dolls in “Ennio!”

Clad in a standard issue black leotard, Italian performance artist Ennio Marchetto gives new meaning to the phrase quick change, as he transforms himself from one pop culture icon to another with the help of large, boldly colored, paper doll-style outfits. Folding and unfolding with the precision of origami, the caricature-like costumes enable the comic to morph from the likes of Amy Winehouse to Marge Simpson in mere seconds, while he badly lip synchs the artists’ signature songs.

Like any good drag show, Marchetto nails the big divas like Streisand, Tina Turner, Cher and Madonna, though there’s a weird bit exposing Madonna’s internal organs that no one seems to get. The shaved Britney  Spears gets plenty of laughs and the multiple incarnations of Elton John are also crowd pleasers.

Doris Day, the Singing Nun and Gene Kelly, on the other hand, feel a bit dated as does the requisite big-breasted ditzy blonde with Marilyn Monroe.

Though peculiarly costumed, Marchetto’s Liza Minnelli belting out “New York, New York” provides a nice, upbeat finish to this (or any good drag show, for that matter).

As his Liza tears apart her red paper stole in the final scene, throngs of Marchetto fans stand and applaud wildly. Everyone else seems relieved that it’s over. “Ennio!” is a great 15-minute shtick that goes on for seventy.

‘Ennio!’
Through June 1
Boston Center for the Arts Wimberly Theatre
527 Tremont St., Boston
MBTA: Orange line to Back Bay
$15 - $50, 617-266-0800
www.huntingtontheatre.org