Plug-In: Transistor

By arrangement with Dark Horse Theatre Chiang Mai and Chiang Mai Drama Centre comes 'Dark Horse Theatre Chiang Mai' - a theatre company based in northern Thailand, and they are coming to The Hope Street Theatre, Liverpool next week!

Following a hugely successful run in Chiang Mai they received messages from the audience in the weeks that followed who had been moved by the story, the characters and issues raised. The company knew that they weren't ready to leave it there, that it needed to come to Liverpool.

Dark Horse Theatre Chiang Mai was founded in 2017 by a group of drama and music teachers (migrants from the UK, Australia & France), and was created out of a love for dark-humoured, engaging, and progressive theatre - and a need for more creative arts in Chiang Mai, Thailand! Their productions quickly gained a cult following for their quirky style and love of interesting performance spaces (one production was in an old ice factory!). Then COVID-19 hit, but during lockdown one of the founders, Kelly Holliday, wrote 'TRANSISTOR' - a dark comedy-drama about Trans/LGBTQ issues. The script was developed over a long period of time - it was born from an idea inspired by conversations overheard about identity and gender and fuelled opinions on the matter. The writer of the script, Kelly Holliday, held open workshops and used exercises which prompted people to question their position on this and these responses helped to build the characters in Transistor. 

So, what is ‘TRANSISTOR’ about?

Picture the most dysfunctional family you can imagine; stew them over an intense heat and watch them implode. Radical feminist and retired defence attorney Vivian Isaac is dying. Fast. Dutiful wife Maggie offers support in the form of fuss, but all Viv wants is to have Maggie and their two adopted daughters with her when it's her time. The family are trying to patch up the fallout between Vivian and the youngest child ‘Rebecca’ who has been estranged from the family after searching for their birth parents and transitioning as male, Ryan. When Ryan arrives, Vivian is furious and accuses the family of deceiving her. Tension continues to rise, and we watch the family's demise, realising that some secrets refuse to be buried.

The Creative Wire caught up with Natalie Taylor from 'Dark Horse Theatre Chiang Mai' to find out more about the play. Natalie told us:

“Although Transistor is a play which portrays a same-sex couple at the head of the family, the plot is not driven by the fact that this is a lesbian couple with children - which audiences may expect. The gender of the couple is irrelevant, this play is about the breakdown of the relationship between a mother and their child: a parent's inability to accept their child and the impact of this on the whole family. Whilst this representation of a same-sex couple navigating their child's transition portrays an important and diverse LGBTQ storyline, the theme of rejection and denial could be experienced within any family - that is the root of 'Transistor' and its universal appeal”.

We also asked Natalie why it is important that this story be told. She told us:

“The Isaac family could be any family. Their differing perspectives fuel a rift that causes heartache and hurt, but by seeing these issues played out on stage allows our audiences to view both sides of very current topics and arguments in a safe and dynamic manner. Themes in this story are being discussed on every social media platform across the globe; we all have very diverse opinions on identity and lifestyle. By taking some time to sit and let this story unfold before you, experiencing some of the challenging experiences of the characters will offer a new, perhaps contrasting perspective. This play is about being open-minded and allowing everyone the space to be who they really want to be.”

After chatting with Natalie I can tell that the play definitely covers some very serious and hard-hitting themes such as death & loss, acceptance & rejection and Transphobia/ Transmisia and there will be scenes which are deeply uncomfortable to watch. However, Natalie told us:

“We use dark comedy in Transistor to offer some relief to the audience. Using comedy in the surrounding moments, allows the audience to relax, to connect with other members of the audience and the characters and acts to keep them engaged rather than feeling alienated by the subject matter for whatever reason. These topics will affect audiences in different ways, and we want everyone to explore how they relate to the characters, the issues and the opinions presented in a safe and encouraging way. We believe that comedy helps to bridge this gap and promote conversation, connection, and reflection.”

After hearing about this production, I believe that audiences can expect an evening of engaging, powerful, thought-provoking, darkly comic theatre. “Transistor” sounds unique in both its premise and performance style. Not one to be missed!

However, I will leave you with some final words from the company:

“This is a play which will hook you in through humour and heartache - the characters are diverse and there is someone to identify with for everyone and someone who will challenge your stance on things. We would like our audience to take away that we all are walking our own path and need, deserve, respect and acceptance.”

You can catch ‘TRANSISTOR’ at The Hope Street Theatre, Hope Street, Liverpool Dates: 25.07.23 > 29.07.23 Ticket Prices: £11.25 > £13.50.

Content warning: This play contains strong language throughout and scenes which some audience members may find upsetting: Adult themes include sexual violence (not depicted but discussed), death and Transphobia. Suitable for audiences of ages 16+.

Words by Elaine Louise Stewart

Images by, DarkHorse Theatre