Some Other Mirror at Edinburgh Fringe 2022

Last Modified: Nov 11, 2024

"So, Laurie, how was the Fringe?"

For the benefit of people who don't know, my show, 'Some Other Mirror', is an autobiographical solo show which roughly covers the first two years of my transition, beginning from the point I first started considering taking testosterone, to the present day. I tell it partly in real-time on-stage arguments between three personas of myself, and partly in monologues delivered stand-up style to the audience. The show is funny, psychological, joyful, and as honest to my experience of being thrown into trans manhood as I could make it, even the ugly parts.

The 'Too Long; Didn’t want to Read' Version:

The 'Too Long; But I Want To Read' version

The Fringe was fantastic. Due to COVID, I spent ten days prior to the Fringe doing absolutely nothing, except playing Disco Elysium and watching Korean Englishman in bed all day, only speaking to my Uncle Mike in person once or twice the whole time. Me and my partner Rory both caught it at the same time and ended up missing Pride, and I had to cancel both Nottingham previews of the show. These were invite-only showings essentially meant to be my dress rehearsals. Cancelling them was absolutely gutting, and a big blow to my confidence about the resulting quality of Some Other Mirror.

I then packed a ridiculously huge rucksack, also courtesy of Uncle Mike, and got a 6-hour train to Edinburgh. My phone died as I stepped off the train, so I had to get out the old-fashioned map to navigate to Newington. Some Other Mirror is produced by Chronic Insanity Theatre, a little powerhouse of innovative Midlands-based work, run by Joe Strickland and Nat Henderson, two fab enbies, who I had the pleasure of staying with during the run.

Arriving At Pianodrome For The First Time

On Friday, me and Joe (the director, producer, and technician of 'Some Other Mirror') got up earlyish to walk to the other side of Edinburgh city centre to Pianodrome, our piano-themed venue which was couched inside the derelict Old Royal High on Regent Road, about ten minutes from Waverley Train Station. Approaching the place for the first time was rather surreal. Me and Joe were peering at the different grand buildings of New Town, trying to figure out which one was most shaped like a neo-classical school, when suddenly, we turned the corner, and the street fell away, into a stunning watercolour of the Edinburgh countryside, the hills higher, grander and more ancient than anything for miles around. Within it, Arthur’s Seat, epic, and elegant. Joe turned to me and said: “Not a bad walk to work.”

The Pianodrome Ampitheatre, by comparison, is a different world. Small and intimate, every surface and screw repurposed from 40 upcycled pianos, that would otherwise have been burned for scrap metal. The space has three wedges of tiered wooden bench-seats, crisp acoustics, bouncing off soft brown varnish, decorated with dowdy lampshades. I’d first seen this space’s older sibling in photographs over a year ago, when I first met Tim and Matt, the designers and executors of Pianodrome, when we were all working for The Leeds International Piano Competition. It was so strange and so familiar to actually be in this space for the first time.

After we got all the tech set up, we had to run through the show. I stood in the middle of the carpeted stage for several minutes, not saying anything. The words frozen in my throat. I knew that once I started saying the script, in here, then the show had started. And then, I would have to actually do it for the rest of the week. Eventually, I said, “Let’s just start with the voice.”, which are not quite the first words of the show, but were the best ones for me to start with, at that point.

Laurie stands in the Pianodrome, pausing after speaking, looking pensive.

Until then, I had struggled to rehearse the whole show more than once in one day, but then somehow, I did it twice, and then a third time in the evening to my first audience (three people), who rounded off the first preview with rapturous applause. We were off!

The Run

Marketing the show was a bit of a challenge for a variety of reasons that I won’t get into, but through a combination of hitting Twitter, connecting with Pianodrome’s existing audience, and reaching out to other trans folk at the Fringe, we had about 150 people see the show over 7 days. After the first preview, we generally had between 10-20 people every night, with our highest being about 31 people on the closing night, for which I handed out a lot of comps, to try and encourage trans people who might not be able to afford to see the show to drop by.

Laurie stands in the centre of Pianodrome, throwing cushions to audience members. The seats were rather uncomfortable after about 15 minutes!

Highlights

  1. A member of Pianodrome’s staff saw the show and was so moved, that she convinced one of her parents to see the show, to help the parent support her trans twin. The parent spoke to me after the show, thanked me, and said that watching it had helped her understand her child a little more.
  2. A teacher from Brooklyn asked me to send her a copy of the script, and any other materials I had, so that she could share the work with her students. She runs a group for trans and gender-questioning kids, that supports them in school and offers fun social things for them to do together. We’ve planned for me to do a Q&A with the class too.
  3. A middle-aged trans man stayed and talked with me for a long time after the show had finished, and said I had put many of his own thoughts and feelings into words for him.
  4. Tabby Lamb came to see the show and loved it. She’s a trans author who recently won a Fringe First award for her play Happy Meal, about two friends who meet on the internet, fall in love and both discover they are trans. She particularly complimented my manner with the audience, saying that I made the space feel safe, and welcoming, that I held the space in my hands.

Trans Art Is For Everyone

I feel a bit arrogant and boasting to talk about these experiences, but I also know that if I don’t talk about these reactions, then I’m erasing the value and impact of not just my work, but all trans art. And this is a small show. I don’t have a lot of big-name reviewers to stick on my poster, I don’t have a big PR team who can make a load of promotional videos and tasteful audience testimony collages and pay for them to be advertised on every platform. I have to tell you this, myself. Trans art is not this niche little subgenre that only has relevance for one or two other trans people. Trans art can have a profoundly emotional effect on everyone who witnesses it, and we all need to shout about it!

Thank You's

Thank you to Chronic Insanity for supporting the show, to Joe for putting up with my shit, to Rory for rehauling the essential opening track that starts the show and for being a constant cheerleader, to Pianodrome for taking a massive gamble on me and not making me pay rent to put the show on, to all my friends who made my show a part of their Fringe schedule, to all the friends who had seen very early versions of the show and still came back to see it, yet again, to everyone who had never heard of me who came to see my show anyway, and to all the queer artists I connected with at the Fringe, in the short time I was there, who made me feel so supported and welcome.

To everyone who hasn’t seen the show, I know I promised a video to some of you, but unfortunately, we weren’t able to get video equipment up to the Fringe because of a last-minute logistical issue. I will be doing more invite-only performances of Some Other Mirror in Nottingham, starting from September, and one of those will definitely be filmed. Sorry that it’s taking a long time for the show to become accessible for some of you <3

Laurie

External Links

Quotes about the show from Twitter:

"Moving. Intelligent. Accomplished. Brave." - Tim Vincent-Smith

"Ever find a locked diary or journal in code and yearn to read it? Your wish comes true in Some Other Mirror - a solo show about gender transition during lockdown. Listen for the word happy - something we feared we’d never hear again from someone over 10 and under 30…" - Bonnie Zare

"Hats off to SOME OTHER MIRROR -- technically demanding acting in a totally unique and gorgeous space at the @PianodromeLive. An electrifying performance, and not to be missed." - JM Meyer, artistic director of Thinkery & Verse

"Dear Laurie, saw your performance of #SomeOtherMirror last night, the final in the current run I think. Gosh, what a performance... so open, honest, confident, caring. Thank you for sharing your experience. Much love and best wishes." - UpYesP

"An absolutely genius mashup of stand up and theatre that had me laughing from start to finish. this show was so relatable as a trans man and full of queer humour but also really heartfelt moments that just made me want to give him a hug." - Finn Saunders

"Absolutely adored this solo show starring @riewarden, a gem of Nottingham talent at the Fringe." - Ashrow Talent Management

"Go see #SomeOtherMirror 7pm at the Old Royal High School Pianodrome amphitheatre until 12th. He's brilliant. Sensitive, emotional, powerful, educational (for most), personal, courageous and a surprise I wasn't expecting and won't reveal!" - Jonathan MacBride

"so glad i managed to catch the last performance of #someothermirror! an intimate and touching coming out conversation between a trans man and his former cis self, beautifully and gently crafted by @riewarden" - Tabby Lamb

"Friday, I saw Some Other Mirror @pianodrome and it was thoughtful and kind to itself which I appreciated. Some v v honest moments on the internal question machine that drives both transition forward and tries to halt it - and the space is so nice for a intimate monologue" - Miriam Attwood

"This is a wonderfully vulnerable piece about the experience of being trans masculine. You easily become invested in Laurie’s story, past and present, and the use of multi-media elements is also brilliant. It’s also in a theatre made of pianos - how cool?" - Charli Clement