On the Evolutionary Function of Shame Off-Broadway Reviews

Mindell is a third-year student in Columbia’s playwriting MFA, and On the Evolutionary Function of Shame is receiving a full production as part of Second Stage’s Next Stage Festival, which is dedicated to supporting early-career writers. That’s great — and, at the same time, even given space to breathe on Signature Center’s big Irene Diamond Stage, the play still feels like it’s searching for itself. Along the way—and this is the real rub—it’s too eager to show its work while, at the same time, not having done quite enough of it.

For all its flaws, On the Evolutionary Function of Shame is an important work wrestling with the politics of identity and difference at a time when these discussions are increasingly urgent. It challenges audiences to consider whether alleviating suffering means eliminating humanity's capacity to self-actualize and whether so-called "perfection" would erase the very complexities that define us. The play culminates in a "crisis of ethics," landing on a resonant stance defending individuality, pride, and the right to become oneself through struggle rather than erasure. While its writing and staging don't always do justice to its profound themes, its message remains undeniable: there is beauty in difference, and in the hard-fought challenges that shape us.

In all, Mindell is to be congratulated and thanked for a fervent screed on behalf of continuing trans presence, even though his energetic fervor often obscures his theatrical vision.

On the whole, Mindell has created something original — a thought exercise where serious issues get a real workout. Director Jess McLeod’s production benefits from a first-rate cast that navigates both the philosophical arguments and the punchlines with clarity and a feather-light touch. On the Evolutionary Function of Shame provokes laughter and deep thought, and gets you to see the trans community in an entirely new way.

On the Evolutionary Function of Shame is a master class in weaving topical issues with people and stories that humanize those issues. And in a world that is actively trying to remove trans people from society, to see a play like this one is truly special, and no small privilege.