Jimmy Mack Follies is an absurdist comedy 'poetry-play'. Subtitled, A Small, Unreal Universe of Performing Alter Egos Mocking My Arrogance and Showcasing the Gravity of My Grandiosity, the play is a variety show parody in which McKenzie acts as an assortment of offbeat alter egos performing spoken word. As the subtitle indicates, the title alludes to itself as a pretence (Jim Mack is a diminutive of his name), demonstrating that he is, sometimes, mocking himself in his performances. In addition to being self-deprecating (‘follies’ = ‘foolishness’), the word ‘Follies’ in JMF alludes to lavish revues in the 20th century like Zeigfeld’s Follies. McKenzie employs costumes and props in his performances, and he has created sculptural collage-paintings that correspond with the different personas that serve the poetry-play’s theatrical scenery.
