Arts:Blog

Theatre Review: Eve & Adam

Michael Cox reviews two productions dealing with the theme of gender transition.

Part of the National Theatre of Scotland’s participation in this year’s Edinburgh festivals is to present two pieces dealing with real-life gender transitions: one male to female, the other female to male. Both are new productions and star the actual two individuals involved.

Jo Clifford’s Eve (***) asks some very pertinent questions—questions that, in this currently political climate, are all the more relevant. What is gender? Does one’s genitalia define them? Where do social constructs come from, and is identity innate or conformed?

Clifford’s script, co-written with Chris Goode, is beautiful: lyrical, emotional and full of insight. Clifford takes us through her life, from boyhood to marriage and parenthood up to her gender reassignment. It is a play told in segments, each part standing on its own but together telling a compelling story of a life.

And Clifford gives a personable performance—she is easy to relate to and empathise with. Her performance isn’t as rich as the writing—there are moments where the words carry far more dramatic and emotional weight—but the glee her eyes give in moments of triumph, as well as the pain that clearly ricochets through her during some of the trying times, gives everything a heart-breaking honesty.

While Eve is more about the quiet moments, Adam (****) is a full-throttled production that incorporates multimedia, music and complicated stagecraft to tell the story of Adam Kashmiry.

Kashmiry is from Egypt and never identified as female. While Kashmiry’s mother reassured him that feminine feelings would come, he felt betrayed by his own female body, particularly when puberty came. Family and culture conflicts led Kashmiry to seek asylum in the UK, only to face further clashes with a crushing bureaucracy that refused to recognise him as male.

The story in itself is very interesting and moving, but writer Frances Poet has widened the dramatic language by having a second player on stage. Played by Neshla Caplan, this not only opens the play past a confessional monologue by allowing duologues but also gives Adam’s masculine and feminine sides a chance to converse.

Add to that director Cora Bissett’s dramatic flourishes, and the end result is a rousing emotional journey. Perhaps some of the songs are a little on the nose (and a few of the set pieces might need a little tweaking), but Kashmiry’s story makes for great theatre. Kashmiry himself is an intriguing performer, but he works best when acting with Caplan, who gives a stirring performance by playing multiple roles.

The play asks the question “Can a man’s soul be trapped in a woman’s body?” and gives a definitive answer. That it does so with dignity makes this an even more stirring production.

Eve and Adam are presented as part of this year’s Made in Scotland festival and perform at the Traverse until August 27. Check programme for specific times as they shift daily. No performances on Mondays.

Eve will perform at the Citizens Theatre from September 14-16.