If you ever want to get a glimpse into the ugly side of humanity, scroll through the comments on Dylan Mulvaney’s TikTok—particularly the “Days of Girlhood” series, an intimate and detailed account of her gender transition. There’s a great deal of support but also…well, you can imagine.
You’ll find none of that negativity at The Least Problematic Woman in the World, Mulvaney’s ironically titled and joyful autobiographical solo show at the Lortel Theatre. The audience is full of Mulvaney fans, supporters, and trans allies, and they’re sending nothing but heart emojis back to the actress/influencer.
Looking heavenly in the first of many fabulous Enver Chakartash costumes, Mulvaney starts the show as Angel 666—wings and all—waiting for her new life assignment. “If the angel before you gets a good life, chances are you’ll get a really bad one,” she explains. “Fingers crossed hers sucks. No offense.” Angel 665 learns that she’ll be Zendaya. “Shit, that one sounds good.” (Sorry, Angel 666, that one is really good.) God warns Angel 666 that her assignment, Dylan Mulvaney, is “a tricky one.” Who knew God was so prone to understatement?
Most of the characters—including the other angels and the day-drinking moms at a grade-school pool party (young Dylan has no desire to hang with the kids: “All they talk about is ponies and pokemon, it’s like grow up, ever heard of politics?”)—are played by video versions of Mulvaney or imposing voiceovers (yes, that is Alan Cumming as the homophobic Father Armstrong). A cardboard cutout—who looks an awful lot like Kurt Hummel from Glee—does an excellent job standing in for Dylan’s Lush Cosmetics co-worker Carson, and a Barbie doll (voiced by Mulvaney) plays Dylan’s BFF, Lily.
The Least Problematic Woman… puts a clever twist on the perennial coming-of-age/coming-out story: Young gay Dylan hops on the Transatlantic Trainline (“As long as it’s not the Hogwarts Express”), leaves The Binary, and exits at She/They Station. “Day 1 of being a woman,” Dylan recalls. “I’ve already cried three times, I wrote a scathing email that I did not send, I ordered dresses that I couldn’t afford and then when someone asked me how I was, I said ‘I’m fine!’ when I wasn’t fine.”
Somehow, she becomes insta-famous. And with fame and recognition comes inevitable resentment and hostility, and eventually cancelation: Some might remember that Mulvaney’s endorsement deals led to backlash for the brands; transphobes were in a tizzy over her collabs with Maybelline and Bud Light, identified in the show not by name but only as “trans palatable” mascara and beer, respectively.
Though she’s still young, Mulvaney has so much to tell us, and there’s no possible way to cram it into 75 minutes. And that includes music! Mulvaney wrote a handful of songs with composers Mark Sonnenblick (KPop Demon Hunters), Abigail Barlow (The Unofficial Bridgerton Musical, Moana 2), Ingrid Michaelson (The Notebook), and Tony winners Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss (Six). The Least Problematic Woman… prioritizes comedy over clarity, so if you don’t know Mulvaney, be sure to do some pre-show scrolling.
The Least Problematic Woman in the World opened October 7, 2025, at the Lucille Lortel Theatre and runs through October 19. Tickets and information: leastproblematicwoman.com
