How a 24-hour drag show predicted the past seven years in America

Long story short … Taylor Mac tells the history of the US in 24 hours in Brooklyn, New York, in 2016. Photograph: HBO

In 2016, I bought a ticket to a drag show that promised to recap the entire history of American democracy. It was a musical, it lasted 24 hours, and the audience was not supposed to leave.

I almost skipped this marathon performance, which began the day after news broke that Donald Trump had bragged on video about grabbing women by the pussy. I was exhausted by the 24-hour news cycle of American politics, and unsure if I could take another 24 hours of the performance art version.