Headscarf and the Angry Bitch

Zehra Fazal’s warm, wise, and very funny one-woman play with music is a welcome addition to the ongoing, often contentious conversation between Muslim and non-Muslim America.

Set up as a series of lectures by Zed Headscarf, a would-be Muslim folk-rock star, the show weighs in on such matters as virginity, family relations, prejudice, and homosexuality. Adding to the fun are Fazal’s pointed and frequently hilarious parodies of contemporary pop, including the opening number, “A Muslim Detained,” set to the tune of “A Horse With No Name.”

Though the piece has amateurish moments, resembling an extended comedy routine more than a full-fledged play, Fazal is so winning and truthful that her show overleaps its drawbacks to become delicious theater. Her final number, in which she drapes herself in the Pakistani and American flags, wears a rainbow-colored hijab, and channels Lady Gaga, is a showstopper in the best over-the-top musical theater tradition.

Presented by Zehra Fazal as part of the New York International Fringe Festival at the Studio @ Cherry Lane Theatre, 38 Commerce St., NYC. Aug. 13–20. Remaining performances: Mon., Aug. 16, 6:15 p.m.; Wed., Aug. 18, 8:15 p.m.; Fri., Aug. 20, 3:45 p.m. (866) 468-7619 or www.fringenyc.org.