Coventry-born trans campaigner Kate O’Donnell returns to Warwick Arts Centre with new show.
Who knew what being transgender was in the 1970s? Not Kate’s family. To be fair, crispy pancakes had only just landed in the Midlands so she had her work cut out. The path to becoming a woman doesn’t always run smooth and with a lifetime of coming out, Kate has had to use every trick — theatrical and otherwise — to get by. Big Girl’s Blouse sees Kate make a song and dance about her life using humour, music and costume to tell her story.
Kate O’Donnell is a queer theatre artist and campaigner. She creates entertaining, gently political performances, which show pride and strength in being a transgender woman. Her work celebrates theatricality – through humour, song, movement, film and costume. In 1990’s Kate became a part of the alternative cabaret scene; creating theatre and film for Queer Up North, danced for artists such as Boy George and regularly performed and presented on television shows: The Girlie Show, Sunday Show and Granada TV. Kate is a model for Born – Manchester based make-up and styling studio specialising in trans beauty & is the patron of Manchester Lesbian and Gay Chorus.
On the show Matt Fenton, Artistic Director, Contact said: “Kate O’Donnell’s new show is a funny, heartwarming and gently political take on growing up different from the people around you. It’s also a guilty pleasure for anyone who grew up in 70s and 80s Britain.”
Social Media Campaign: Kate O’Donnell invites audiences to #StandByYourTrans. When we stand together we can do incredible things. Kate’s twitter campaign encourages members of the public show their solidarity and support for the transgender community by telling the world to #StandByYourTrans. The transgender community can often be misunderstood, isolated and threatened by society. Using the hashtag: #StandByYourTrans Kate wants to raise awareness and visibility about trans people and breakdown some of the barriers and stereotypes that exist.
Big Girls Blouse plays at the Warwick Arts Centre on 11th-12th March. www.warwickartscentre.co.uk
