Welcome to the world of Letitia Delish (Tish Weinman), a mistress who will certainly put you in your place, and you will love it! But, under the veil of the dominatrix, lies a person who is exploring their gender identity, using the whip as a tool of the trade, and the persona of Letitia Delish to earn money. Written and performed by Tish Weinman, this play aims to strip back the layers of the character Letitia, to find out why she was needed, not just by the men who visit her, but why was she needed by her creator?
Supported by her co-performer Alex Chorley, we follow Letitia on her journey of how she became involved in the sex industry. Letitia’s first experience is with a man whose sex-life with his girlfriend is boring, and he wished to explore a part of himself that he did not usually admit existed. Enter Letitia, clad in black latex, confident, and every bit the dominatrix; challenging Max (that is the name that this gentleman has chosen) to explore his fantasies, and not to feel shame for how he feels. But there is a feeling here that even though Max (Chorley) is glad to be participating, he feels vulnerable at finally opening up about he feels.
In writing this play, Weinman has opened up about his work as a dominatrix as his alter-ego Letitia Delish and has shown incredible vulnerability in discussing his own struggles with his gender identity, and not being sure where he belonged, shining a spotlight on the sex industry, and a society that makes judgements on your personal sexual choices. Letitia Delish’s world of flamboyant costumes, dressing up to the nines to explore her trans identity works in stark contrast when this persona is stripped away, and we see Tish, the confused man who is searching for answers, and acceptance. This contrast works well, as it demonstrates Weinman’s versatility as a performer.
This evening’s performance was the last night of a two-night run, but there is scope to continue exploring this topic. Weinman is a powerful performer, and the intimacy of The Hope Theatre’s performance space lends itself to a raw play that needs to connect directly with the audience. The last monologue felt a little long, it’s impact would land fuller with the audience if it were stripped back a little, and I would like to see more of The Mistress (Letitia), in her full dominatrix costumes when she is with her clients, as it is the contrast between her dominant personality, compared to Tish’s more vulnerable self, that creates the interest. Overall, this is a powerful play, tackling issues that are rarely discussed, that just needs a little more development.
Reviewer: Caroline Worswick
Reviewed: 20th August 2025
North West End UK Rating:
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