PUSSY ON THE HOUSE

The Plexiglass Menagerie. Who’s Afraid of the Virgin Mary. Phantom of the Oprah.

For over 15 years, Ryan Landry and his Gold Dust Orphans have been the last, best word in Boston fringe, camped out (zing!) in the literal underground of The Machine’s downstairs Ramrod Theater. With drag-reimaginings and genderfucked-should-have-beens of cherished Sunday matinee classics, Landry and crew have made an accolade-laden career out of assailing the unassailable.

This weekend closes out the Orphans’ revival run of 2004’s Elliot Norton Award-winning Pussy on the House, a vamped-up revamp of Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Sex, lies and chiffon-chafe ensue as the Pollup family—owners of “the richest polyester plantation this side a’Shanghai”—must deal with the fading of health and fame, the shirking of husbandly duties and the loud, Sapphic lust of live-in relatives.

The original cast of hoop-skirted home belles and vapor-seized swoonfiends have been given a brand-spankin’ new set to wail in and some purtier costumes to tear off, along with a few new gasp-worthy twists to the script.

Even if you got swept up in the original “whirlwind mess of tears and joy” seven years ago, there’s plenty of reason to return.

This is the last visit to the Pollup Plantation that the Orphans have planned for a good long while, so if you missed out the first time, this could very well be your last chance to stop on by the “house filled to the rafters with mendacity.” And we know this is a tragedy and all, but that would be plain sad.

[Pussy on the House. Fri 3.18.11-Sun 3.20.11. Ramrod at the Machine. 1254 Boylston St., Boston. 617.265.6222. 8pm, Fri & Sat, 5pm Sun/$35-45. machine-boston.com]