Transparency – 53two, Manchester

Jaden Adams invites the world into a snippet of a transgender male’s life: expect an emotive solo performance packed with passion and playfulness.

A prying parent forces Jack to come out about his transness sooner than he wished. In this multi-faceted account, he reveals the ups and downs that followed. Though aspects of the narrative may sound bygone, the northern working-class setting- where views on trans rights still lack progression in many households- should be taken into consideration.

Adams is an endearing storyteller who tackles sensitive topics with deft. His zealous acting skills show great potential as he switches between roles, garnering plenty of laughs as Jack’s niggling nan.

Everybody roots for Adams’ character from the start as he addresses hurdles from being misgendered to meeting his partner’s parents for the first time.

The script would benefit from a tightening to facilitate the story’s pacing as well as a few more injections of humour, but the quips and gags already present have the audience laughing out loud.

Jaden Adams is a star of the stage, and this reviewer is excited to see what comes next.

Transparency continues at 53two, Manchester until 20^th July with tickets available from https://manchester.ssboxoffice.com/events/transparency/

Reviewer: Scot Cunningham

Reviewed: 7^th July 2023

North West End UK Rating: