clumsy body doubles
a trans comedy-horror
A critic told us that they enjoyed our autobiographical stories about being trans, but didn’t like us as the performers of these stories. So (obviously) we hired cis body doubles of ourselves to take over our lives. What happens when our body doubles have meals with our parents, go to our hospital appointments, get our mail from the Post Office?
From Boys Don’t Cry to Danish Girl to Dallas Buyers Club, the majority of commercially successful stories about trans lives go to those with cis actors attached. Inspired by the traditional horror of the doppelgänger, we explore the current debate around identity, authenticity and gender.
Are we only profitable when our stories come from cis mouths? Who legitimises trans stories, and do we ever get to author them ourselves?
Supported by Shoreditch Town Hall, Theatre Deli, The Lowry, Camden People’s Theatre and Arts Council England
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Timeline
Originally commissioned by Upstart Theatre as part of DARE Festival 2019.
R&D as part of Camden People’s Theatre’s Starting Blocks programme 2021
Past Performances:
Dare Festival October 2019 - Shoreditch Town Hall
Originally commissioned by Upstart Theatre as part of DARE Festival 2019.
R&D as part of Camden People’s Theatre’s Starting Blocks programme 2021
Past Performances:
Dare Festival October 2019 - Shoreditch Town Hall
photos by ali wright