Star rating: ****

A glitter-encrusted account of the days leading up to the start of the Stonewall riots in New York City - reverently described as "the most glamorous night of civil disobedience in history" Rikki Beadle-Blair's comedy drama provides a sharp, shocking history lesson.

That is, history as seen through the eyes of a super-sassy but emotionally vulnerable "flame queen" named La Miranda (Alexis Gregory), and accompanied by a soundtrack of Motown girl group numbers comically interpreted by the nine-strong cast.

The central story is simple enough - boy meets boy (dressed as girl), they fall in love and ride the rollercoaster of romance. The other threads are more complicated: there's the businessman who refuses to be seen with his transvestite partner; the gay rights campaigner who believes that small sacrifices are necessary when pursuing big changes; and the ongoing battle against the brutal and humiliating tactics of the NYPD.

As transvestite Bostonia, Beadle-Blair has nabbed all the best outfits - notably the outrageous Mardi Gras costume in which he shimmies his way through Leader of the Pack.