NO I.D. is a play that has transferred to the Royal Court from a short run at VAULT Festival 2023, having also previously played at Theatre Peckham.
In it, Tatenda Shamiso tells the story of his experience as a Black transgender immigrant in the UK. Using the songs he wrote throughout his first year on testosterone alongside letters, signatures and a whole lot of paperwork, he guides us through what it takes to validate Black and queer identities in the eyes of the law. What really drew me to this piece was the sheer honesty with which the viewer is given access to Tatenda’s world. That begins with a clip of him before his transition, and the audience are taken on a journey to meet their authentic self as the piece progresses.
It is so incredibly touching, funny and offers some really thought-provoking dialogue. As as for Claudia Casino’s set – a simple sofa with a lamp, with card box boxes dotted around – also brings forth the audience well into the action. The space is utilised in a great way, as we begin with Tatenda giving the audience a direct address as he moves from the sofa (changing into clothing the binary standards of society subjects us to), to then approaching the the stacked cardboard boxes which again reveal a further boxing from wider mainstream society. It got me thinking, and allowed me to be taken on my own journey throughout. Further, there is an element of realism which comes by the introduction of the real life videos of Tatenda pre-transition, where the person in front of the audience is quite literally shedding the loss of another identity: ultimately though, one that helped the protagonist to reach their authentic self. One side point, and something of note is the introduction of a (what we presume is an NHS gender helpline) phone that rings, which the audience are given an intense insight to be privy to a call. The way Tatenda dances to the beeping waiting tone was just sheer genius and added a really hilarious touch to a piece that is often quite serious in tone. The comedic timing, topped with the Tatenda’s facial expressions were really inspiring in order to bring comedy in order to point out the ridiculous nature of how vehemently inept the system is for those who are wanting to transition to the gender of their own choice.
It is, overall, a rather eye-opening and a clever portrayal of the unnecessarily cruel bureaucracy involved with having to register one’s own new gender identity. There is not one moment when I was bored, or feeling like the overarching themes was going into overkill; ultimately, it made me want to further highlight the plight trans people face, as the current system is rather chilling to the bone.
The tight 60-minute piece, performed at the Upstairs space at the Royal Court Theatre, also incorporates music; this is inclusive of a childhood tap routine which pays homage to a Anything Goes (I adored the iteration at the Barbican Centre last year with Sutton Foster) that is recreated, as well as the the overlay of his voice now to music from recordings. That in itself was really powerful, and made me well up as it demonstrated the point of visible (and audible) change so seamlessly authentic.
All in all, No I.D. is a superb piece of theatre that celebrates marginalised voices; it’s a beaming call to the lay person so offer compassion to those who undergo gender transitions (or as Munroe Bergdorf states in her book Transitional ‘In One Way or Another, We All Transition’), which is told with a searing honesty, warmth and an energy that will compel you to want to be Tatenda’s best friend.
Listing information:
NO I.D. by Tatenda Shamiso
Writer: Tatenda Shamiso
Director: Sean Ting-Hsuan Wang
Designer: Claudia Casino
Producer: Dylan Verley
Stage Manager: Ting (Yi-Ting) Huang
Cast: Tatenda Shamiso
Tuesday 18 April 2023 –Saturday 6 May 2023
📍Royal Court Jerwood Theatre Upstairs
🎟️: https://royalcourttheatre.com/whats-on/no-i-d/
All photos credit: Marc Brenner
All images feature Tatenda Shamiso
