Non-binary people often aren’t taken seriously. They’re a punching bag for bigots, painted as both laughing stocks and corrupters of the young. The structures of most societies and languages are so gendered that alienation is a part of everyday life. Despite cross-cultural evidence throughout history of identities beyond ‘man’ and ‘woman’, we’ve only recently started seeing attempts to research, articulate and understand what being non-binary looks and feels like. Too is far from the first theatre show about being non-binary (especially in Melbourne), but the creators make one choice that gives it another level of impact: it’s a verbatim show. Except for a short intro, all lines spoken onstage are directly quoted from non-binary interview subjects.
The resulting work by Tip Toe Theatre is appropriately scattered in aesthetic and focus. The actors’ all-white costumes look like they were assembled from whatever they happened to have in their closets. White drapes cover the stage, but not entirely, and they’re used to project live camera footage, distorted graphics and the computer code that warps them in real time. They even explain at the start that one actor has stepped up the last minute and is still reading from their script, but it doesn’t even feel out of place. For me, sometimes the ‘work in progress’ vibes went too far into sloppiness, such as when the camera moved backstage but we could barely see what was happening. The music and dialogue were often so quiet it was hard to hear everything, and I could quibble about some choices in sound and visual effects that took me out of the moment. Still, for the most part the design is a fun, fascinating way to not just tell but show us the experience of having a sense of self that’s constantly under construction. To be a bit glib, it feels authentically ‘enby coded’.
If this show were wholly written by a specific author or team, it might have come across as preachy. It’s essentially an hour of interwoven monologues about various topics related to being non-binary, delivered by actors as they create appropriate metaphorical images. The fact that these are authentic testimonies means the play doesn’t come across as didactic, but as people finally getting the chance to express complex, articulate thoughts they’ve been holding onto for a long time. The performances carry this natural feel, as the actors leave in ‘like’s, stammers and strange interjections and impressively deliver the lines as if they are thinking out loud. They are a strong creative team with a strong vision, and they take their purpose seriously while still being playful with the content and audience.
Too is obviously a text-heavy show, and it takes every advantage of that to comprehensively address some very nuanced themes. There’s rich discussion about intersectionality, how being non-binary isn’t just about gender but overlaps with one’s race, sexuality, mental state, family history and life experiences. What I appreciated even more than these topics being brought up was how they were complicated by the cast. While masculinity is often associated with toxicity nowadays, some speakers take comfort in it. While ‘female friendships’ are often seen as uniquely strong and fulfilling, they can also become a gendered trap. Physically, ropes were brought on stage but not only used to convey restraint; they also became symbols of exploration, passivity and bonding. Too is exactly as complicated as it needs to be.
I think the best way I could sum up the effect of this show is to point out that at many moments, I heard various audience members let out a “hmm…”. I’m still wondering what those reactions were expressing in the moment. Comprehension? Sympathy? Empathy? Probably all the above and then some. The very concept of Too is necessary and relevant, and its execution is perfect for the messages it’s trying to convey. It’s uncomfortable, awkward, joyful, bizarre, scrappy and silly – just like being non-binary.
To book tickets to Too, please visit https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/whats-on/events/too.
