A triumphant debut, a celebration of queerness and a slick investigation of the joys compassion can bring to those marginalised in wider society.

I was invited to the press night on 1 September for I, Joan (written by Charlie Josephine, directed by Ilinca Radulian). The set immediately captivated me, given its wooden skateboard-esque design. It was clean, simple, and utilised in ways which enhanced the performance. The clip above shows how Joan, played marvellously by Isobel Thom, made a triumphant entrance by sliding down to give a rousing opening speech. The crowd was electric for the entire performance, with many instances of applause and cheering. From the get go, this was a piece that was so desperately needed in its celebratory arrival to bring people together – and it’s one which has set a precedence for the Globe and other arts venues to showcase the lived experience of many in society who we often don’t hear from.

For those not familiar with the story of Joan of Arc, here’s one of the most innovative version of it. Those who oppose such production based on salacious media reporting  – sadly – are people who can’t fathom something new, that reinvents the wheel as this does not in any way erase or remove previous iterations of the story. In fact, it adds to the rich histories of how work is evolving. Surely that’s why we make art, for expression to showcase and evolve our interpretation – and the purists amongst us will have our own preferences (that’s fine!), but it did not – for me,  anyhow – detract from any previous rendition. In fact, it made me want to seek out further recorded versions about the figure.

In fact, truth be told,  this is a piece told with sheer conviction, wit and warmth. There’s one main protagonist at the heart: Joan. They seek to spark a revolution, and is the underdog amongst a group of men who seek to push them into expectations. They claim to want to be a ‘warrior’ and their monologues are some of the most heartfelt moments in this.  I believed them. I empathised with them, and wanting to root for them (knowing full well how their story ends). It reminded me of the fight that each and individual human – either cis or trans – has internally, and the on-stage comedic relief was a great contrast to the more serious moments. It was a relatable production, and especially the dance sequences. It felt fresh, modern and for those who needed a bit of ‘sauce’. For the first time in The Globe’s history, it felt to me as if it was a Queer Space. A stunning musical accompaniment once again echoed that a lot of thought was put into this; to see it get such attention really did bring it to my attention, and I am much more grateful to have seen it now.

As the writer of the piece Charlie Joseph reiterates in the programme: ‘theatre is not a museum […] it’s poetry, and curiosity, and play’. The fact of the matter is that the audience that night were roused by the curiosity. This is the direction creatives see stories of the past to be told. Not to be static, or one-dimension but to ask the “what if” questions we urgently need as consumers of stories. Without the need to have to overstate the obvious, which this play does. The subtley of the reference to their gender really does make the furore surrounding it seem so silly; the writing is very funny, and especially the second act. My only complain would be that the length of the piece could have had been shortened; the first act felt paced, and the second seemed like it could have benefitted from having some dialogue cut.

To conclude, I would recommend this to anyone who wants to see cutting-edge theatre. You don’t have to be a history boffin, nor do you need to like theatre massively either. Its purpose is to seek to challenge the cis-heteronormative nature of what we’re forced to see. That to me, is a Brucey bonus. I was grinning from ear-to-ear throughout (and teared up by the impassioned speeches where Joan affirms themselves – how can you not be moved by terrific writing and progress after spending two hours watching someone berated and misgendered),.

We can all be a little Joan; in fact, this production rings home that one truth that #WeAreJoan🏳️‍⚧️ #IAmJoan🏳️‍🌈.

🎟Until October 22: https://www.shakespearesglobe.com/whats-on/joan-2022/

📍The Globe Theatre, London

‘Oh if we can just quiet the world for a moment.
And listen within.
There’s a voice guiding you.
And until you can hear it,
I’ll be it for you.’