52 Monologues for Young Transsexuals is a raucous and unapologetic speed-drive through transfeminine experience.
Performers Laurie Ward and Charli Cowgill sat down with other trans women to get sleepover-honest about bodies, sex and love. Armed with baby oil and lots of pink glitter, they’re taking you from Barbra Streisand to BDSM, in a fever dream of hilarious and gut-wrenching confession.
And no – there aren’t actually 52 Monologues…
52 Monologues for Young Transsexuals is a tour de force of drama, humour and raw honesty, performed at breakneck speed.
Performers Laurie Ward and Carlie Cowgill act as the physical embodiment of the voices of trans women that they have interviewed. These conversations have provided the backbone of this fantastic piece of verbatim theatre, which feels especially significant at a time when so many of these voices are being drowned out by those in power who have such loud and domineering opinions. Hearing trans people speak so candidly on such a wide range of topics makes this a show that should be seen by almost everyone. It is as eye-opening as it is relatable.
This is a performance that made me laugh, cry, get angry and just about everything in between. Not an easy feat for a show that is only 60 minutes long. There is a moment of violence in that show that is hard to bear witness to, let alone be unwittingly complicit in, but it brings home the idea of just some of the incidents that occur to trans people every day. That isn’t to say this show is heavy overall, it has plenty of moments that are laugh-out-loud funny and showcase the pure joy of the transgender experiance.
The use of music and lighting throughout the show provides both energy and momentum that binds scenes together, creating great beats. It is a show that is, at times, heartbreaking while a moment later feeling like a casual gossipy catch-up with a friend.
52 Monologues for Young Transsexuals is a fast-paced, high-energy, open, honest and raw extravaganza. It is on at the Soho Theatre until the Soho Theatre until the 16th of March.
