Trans What You Will is teaming up with LGBTQIA+ icon Sir Ian McKellen for a new rendition of a Shakespeare classic.
On 25 July, the brand-new theatre company will make its debut with a one-night-only rehearsed reading of the beloved play Twelfth Night, starring an all-trans and non-binary cast.
X-Men star McKellen is set to open up the Phoebe Kemp-directed performance, which is being held at The Space Theatre in London. For Shakespeare enthusiasts unable to attend the historic evening, the show will be live-streamed globally.
Lastly, all of the profits from the production will be donated to Not a Phase, a UK-based trans-led charity “committed to uplifting and improving the lives of trans+ adults through awareness campaigning, social projects, and funding trans+ led initiatives.”
Twelfth Night follows twins Viola and Sebastian, who get separated after being shipwrecked. Viola, disguised as ‘Cesario’, ends up working for Duke Orsino. Things take a complicated turn when Viola falls in love with Orsino, who’s convinced he’s in love with Countess Olivia.
The love shenanigans don’t stop there, as Countess Olivia falls in love with ‘Cesario’, resulting in a series of chaotic moments and revelations.
Since its creation, the romantic comedy has spawned countless adaptations and interpretations, including 1985’s Just One of the Guys and 2006’s She’s The Man. The play has also been lauded for its exploration of gender and its queer themes and undertones.
In a statement, Kemp expressed excitement about the upcoming reading: “Twelfth Night already toys with gender and performance – it feels like Shakespeare wrote it for us.
“This reading is about joy, solidarity, and showing what’s possible when trans and nonbinary artists are at the centre of the story.”
A spokesperson for the production company echoed similar sentiments in an additional statement.
“With mistaken identities, cross-dressing, and declarations of love across shifting gender roles, Twelfth Night has long explored the complexity of identity,” they said.
“This production makes that queerness explicit, reclaiming the story through the lived experiences of trans and nonbinary artists.”
For more information on ticket prices for Trans What You Will’s rehearsed reading of Twelfth Night, click here.
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