Into The Mirror - Review

Written and Directed by Shelley Wall

When: Now until 15^th December

Where: King St Theatre, South Newtown

Reviewed by Lana Hilton

It takes a lot for anyone to wrap their heads around Transgenders and the difficult path they walk in order to become the person they always felt they were inside. Into The Mirror explores that process, focusing on the emotional and mental effects on the person and those closest to them. Shelley Wall has written a piece that celebrates self-acceptance and highlights the pressures of identity.

We meet the main character Sally who has already made the decision to transition and now refers to herself as Kendall. She has always had a strained relationship with her daughter Melanie and when she finds out her ‘mum’ is off to the US to have the final procedure in the process; it is more than she can bear.

Alongside the mother/daughter struggle we meet Tyler and Laura, a long-term lesbian couple who have been drifting apart thanks to a secret child that Laura is hiding from Tyler. Kendall and Tyler have a chance meeting and as sparks fly Tyler questions her own sexuality, unaware that Kendall was born a woman.

This play is a whirlpool of heavy themes which the actors take on and portray with such conviction you find yourself questioning your own morale and perceptions. You are constantly challenged when a new theme arises – homosexuality, transgender, abortion, adoption and even rape. It is a lot to digest and you realise that this is no science-fiction play, these themes apparent in today’s society only they are not accepted or thought of as the norm.

This is a very emotional production, be prepared to shed a few tears. Amber Robinson who plays Melanie was brilliant in her portrayal and was the one I sympathised with the most. She stole the scene and created a lot of the tension onstage with her clarity, expression and performance.

On the surface it can appear that transgender people are very selfish in turning the world and their relationships with family, friends and work upside down just so they feel comfortable in their own skin. It seems like a big sacrifice. But really, no one will ‘get it’ unless they are in that position themselves and THAT is what you take away from this production. Understand that you won’t fully understand, or even accept, but as long as you don’t judge then you are paving the way for progress.

This play achieves that and I urge you to challenge yourself by seeing it. You won’t be the same afterwards.