Writer: Jaden Adams with support from Mary Cooper
Jack, a northern transman, is about to meet his girlfriend’s parents for the first time. Held back by his insecurities about his masculinity and his body, he struggles to turn up to the dinner as his authentic self.
Transparency, written and performed by Jaden Adams, is an issue-led piece that aims to ‘release the tension around the word transgender’. Unfortunately, running at an achingly slow 50 minutes, the show does nothing quite that interesting. Adams is writing from an often underrepresented position, so it is a real shame that this opportunity is spent telling a story that is, at its best, just a bit dull.
Some moments of the script are funny; slapstick-esque gags about fake penises and mistaking hormones for heroin. Some moments are poignant; Jack mulls on the difficulty of wanting to be ‘one of the lads’ but feeling uncomfortable about taking part in casual sexism. This unique perspective on performed masculinity is fascinating and could easily have been explored. Instead, Jack proves himself to really be one of the boys by only confronting sexism when he finds the victim attractive in a show of toxic bravado that in the end gets him the girl (who is played mouth agape and eyelashes fluttering, of course).
The main issue with Transparency is how slow it is. Adams’ script gently meanders through anecdotes failing to reach any emotional highs or lows or create any meaningful tension. His characterisation of not only Jack but also all the other characters is to move carefully and at a snail’s pace, gently putting on costume pieces in complete silence. Adams is a skilled multi-roler, what he lacks in pace he more than makes up for in careful characterisation, his acting is only held back by fiddly props and costume.
Directorial choices don’t do a huge deal to add to the experience. Jack bizarrely moves items of clothing around the room with no real purpose – is he tidying? destroying? packing? Set and lighting are bare bones and appear to be afterthoughts rather than crafted.
Transparency endeavours to shed light on unique facets of masculinity and transmasc identity. Adams’ attempt to destigmatize and explore these themes holds promise, yet the execution falls short. The production’s slow pacing and sporadic moments of insight impede its overall impact. In seeking a more resonant and engaging exploration of its themes, Transparency leaves audiences with a sense of unfulfilled potential.
Runs until 20 August 2023
Camden Fringe runs until 27 August 2023
