Trans Scripts, Part 1: The Women

I almost didn’t share this because I felt guilty for going to the Firehall Arts Centre when so many venues were closing. We’d had tickets to the Pacific Theatre but they’d cancelled their run because of the Carona Virus.  The notice had come out encouraging all venues over 200 to close. The Firehall had only 150 and reduced seats to 70%. 

Our friends were women in the show.  We were so looking forward to this intimate evening.  Playwright Paul Lucas had interviewed over 75 trans people around the world to develop this amazing show.  It was co directed by Cameron Mackenzie and Fay Nas. Josie Boyce, Carolyn Dimmer, Amy Fox, Quanah Style, Morgane Oger, Sabrina Symington and Julie Vas were featured. All of them are highly accomplished women who acted their parts superbly. We actually thought they were telling their own stories, the sharing was so intimate.  

The show reminded me of Quilters a play in which several women discuss their lives at turn of the century Canada as they quilt, the stories taken from letters to family in there former homes in England.

This real and present expression of each of the contributions was so dynamic we were transfixed. Stories of suicide attempts, physical attacks, addiction and recovery,  shame and cross dressing, coming to the realization of the meaning of their difference then the process of transformation. It was such a moving story of relationship and the growing sense of safety and meaning from originating as outsiders and objects so often of bullying to finding their tribe.. Having made a pilgrimage in New York I loved the references to Stonewall.  The reminder of the very recent legal gains in Canada against discrimination against transsexuals was a stark reminder of majority power.  I have known a hundred such individuals and felt that the play captured the essence of their experience.  Sex and spirituality were both addressed openly.  

Zee Theatre and Frank Theatre in association with Firehall Theatre presented the evening.  I love the venue each time I go and do hope that this show will be done again after the present viral ‘love in the time of cholera’ passes.

Having cross dressed over the years, my first main stage role in acting as a teen ager being a woman, I have some personal appreciation of the stigma and shame associated with being queer ,especially as a Christian, where I’ve know the greatest support ,as well as having to face the hardest challenges.  My closest friend Laura and I so enjoyed the presentation which captured and expressed so well the experience,  of mixture curse and blessing.