Review: I AM MY OWN WIFE is a Midsumma Must-See at fortyfive downstairs

World War II has been on our minds a great deal of late, with events preceding the rise of modern history's most reviled dictator being comparable to those elevating the incumbent American President. In East Berlin, the second World War was an intersection of prejudice, fear and violence from which few survived. Which is what makes this, the tale of Charlotte Von Mahlsdorf, a transgender woman of some prominence who lived through and since archived much of this dark period of history, all the more remarkable. I Am My Own Wife was first produced off-Broadway in the early noughties, and has since become a theatrical cornerstone of trans representation. Presented as a staged documentary, I Am My Own Wife oscillates between interviews, reenactments, transcripts and serves to catalogue Charlotte's life much in the way she maintained the Grunderzeit Museum for which in part she became famous.

To be as clear as can be: the show is a knockout. Absolute highest-quality, runs the emotional gamut, cuts right to the bones of humanity. Nothing short of a masterpiece.

The one-man show provides a massive undertaking for the actor, asking of them deep and desperate drama, finessed and respectful comedy, and the vocal skill to manage over thirty characters. Ben Gerrard has been a star right from the beginning of his career ten years ago, but his prowess here shows promise of a legendary trajectory. The kind of soliloquay mastery, accent acrobatics, and drama powerhousing deliver him comparison to one-man-show icons worldwide, and the local community can only hope he dons the pearls before much bigger audiences in future. Under the intuitive and sensitive direction of Shaun Rennie, Gerrard navigates Charlotte's unbelievable story, from the inside eccentric and the outside skeptic, transitioning easily to the perspectives of those who orbited around the woman throughout her life including the time spent with playwright Doug Wright for the work itself.

I Am My Own Wife's ambitions by no means stopped at Gerrard's performance. Caroline Comino's set communicated the simplicity, intricacy and honoured the place in history Charlotte had earned, with artistic use of antique and broadsheet. A highlight of the environment installed at fortyfive downstairs was the music player that paired beautifully with Nate Edmondson's sound design, though his adventurous use of historically accurate sound alongside contemporary tracks, where even quality of sound varied to cement the authenticity made for a rich integrity Gerrard could stand upon. Lighting and shadow played up moments to true drama, which with Edmondson's help gave this particularly seasoned audience member a genuine fright or five!

Reaching LGBTIQA audiences has often been hamstrung by the adage of sex sells, and unfortunately all-too-successfully. I Am My Own Wife is a classic piece for the more refined theatre taste as far as recognition goes, but to anyone resigning it to the 'maybe' pile in their ticket-purchasing process has missed an opportunity to step outside comfort zones of narratives pandered to us, and take on a true story told with passion and intimacy, an exploration into the resilience of an entire community represented by one phenomenal woman. These are the stories, wisdoms and marvels of performance we need as we face the crucibles of our generation.

Tickets available here.
Images by Rupert Reid.

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