A:GENDER - Touring

Touring: TransAction theatre Company
A:Gender - Joey Hateley

Runs: 1hr 20 min.

Ranjit Khutan: Arena Theatre, Wolverhampton 22nd October 2004

A multi layered piece by a multitalented performer.Joey Hateley is clearly passionate about educating people about androgyny, gender dysphoria, transsexuals, bisexuals, homosexuals, lesbians, transvestites in fact the whole complex and diverse area of sexuality and gender.

Hateley uses a variety of techniques to explore and convey these messages - video projection, story telling, poetry, fly on the wall documentary, reminiscence, excellent physical movement and mask work to name but a few. Hateley uses these styles well and even though she has included many different ones they don't over egg the pudding or detract from the message that she wants to portray. The play outlines vignettes of people's experiences from the fun of dressing up as a drag king to the taunts of bullies and hostile attitudes of adults who don't understand.

Hateley fills the stage with her energy, but there is enough room left for the video projections that add a different layer to the piece. On a couple of these a young 4 - 5 year old child plays a young Joey Hateley. She is brilliant, especially during the scene where she is playing with an action man doll that comes to life and in another clip when her dialogue is interspersed with Joey Hateley's.

A:Gender is an intricately woven piece of theatre that explores sensitive issues. With Hateley's clever use of humour and performance styles you will be left not only entertained but better informed.

Videography: Sara Domville Maguire, Paula Hateley, Julian Tait 'little Star', Gabby Gwiazdowski.
Photography: Paula Hateley, Joey Hateley & Yasmin Yaqub
Director: Natalie Wilson & Victoria Palmer
Movement Practitioner: Darren Pritchard and Yasmin Bukhari
Musical Composition: Janet Wolslenholme
Sound Engineer: Jaydev Mistry & Dave Wimpenny
Graphic Designer: Paula Hateley

2004-10-31 20:09:59