Performance artist Joey Arias and puppeteer Basil Twist have reunited to bring back their acclaimed musical fantasia for adults, "Arias With a Twist," at Here Arts Center in Manhattan, where it will run through December 20. The show, first created in 2008, blends Arias’s striking stage presence with Twist’s imaginative puppetry, creating a surreal, visually rich experience.
Despite Arias’s longstanding association with drag performance, he takes issue with the term as it is commonly understood today. He distinguishes his work from mainstream drag culture, particularly the polished glamour popularized by television competitions. Instead, Arias emphasizes a focus on "silhouette and soul," inspired by French fashion designer Thierry Mugler, who advised him to embrace a look that favored near nudity over elaborate costume. This minimalist aesthetic contrasts with the fantastical puppetry by Twist, which features elements like space aliens, jungles, horned devils, and miniature puppet versions of Arias himself.
Twist, a MacArthur fellow known for puppetry on international stages including the West End, first encountered Arias in the early 1990s. At that time, Twist was developing his craft after studying puppetry in France, frequently performing in drag shows and experimenting with "draggy puppets." He was captivated by Arias’s live vocal performances, which stood out in nightclub settings dominated by lip-syncing acts.
Over the years, Arias and Twist remained admirers of each other’s work. Arias, a generation older than Twist, had an established career that began in Los Angeles with the improv troupe Groundlings before moving to New York in 1976. Twist’s innovative puppetry drew Arias’s interest, and in 2008 the two collaborated to create "Arias With a Twist," bringing together Twist’s puppetry, including antique wooden musician puppets from Twist’s grandfather, with Arias’s distinctive performance style.
The show was met with critical acclaim for its blend of visual spectacle and Arias’s commanding presence. However, after 2012, the production was largely dormant, partly because Arias struggled with alcohol and opioid addiction beginning in 2017. At the height of his addiction, Arias reportedly consumed large quantities of OxyContin and wine daily. An intervention organized by friends, including Twist and editor Kim Hastreiter, led to his entry into rehab late that year. With their support, he began a successful recovery.
Since then, Arias has undergone significant physical transformation, including surgery and medication-assisted weight loss, ultimately regaining a form closer to his original stage appearance. He now describes himself as feeling strong and healthy, despite sustained dietary changes. Twist expressed deep emotion about the show’s revival, noting his astonishment and gratitude to have Arias back in such clear and powerful form.
"Arias With a Twist" thus stands as both a testament to the enduring creative partnership of Arias and Twist and a celebration of Arias’s personal resilience. The production’s return invites audiences to experience once more the unconventional fusion of live performance and puppetry that made the original work notable.