Review: Glace Chase's Brilliant New Work TRIPLE X Finally Arrives In Sydney To Thunderous Applause.

Tuesday 11th January 2022, 7:30pm, Wharf 1 Theatre Sydney

Glace Chase (Writer and Performer) takes the classic story of secret love with someone not deemed 'acceptable' to their family and friends' expectations and adds an extra layer of complexity in her new play TRIPLE X. It is wonderful that Chase, Paige Rattray (Director) and the Sydney Theatre Company team persisted through multiple pandemic related setbacks to ensure that this engaging, entertaining and enlightening story informed by Chase's own experience made it to the Sydney stage.

Set in a sleek New York loft apartment, TRIPLE X is set on the eve of high-flying investment banker Scotty's (Josh McConville) wedding to what we can only assume to be a classic Upper East Side "little rich girl" Kymberley. While Scotty and his flatmate and best friend Jase (Anthony Taufa on Opening Night) are sharing stories of their cocaine fueled conquests and other unsavory methods they've used to bed unsuspecting women, his wayward hippie activist sister Claire (Contessa Treffone) tumbles in from a flight from Nepal with judgement and distain for the impending nuptials. Rounding out the pre-wedding family gathering is mother Deborah (Christen O'Leary), flown in from Kentucky and resting, unbeknown to the boys, in the loft bedroom. At face value it seems like Scotty is all set for the picture-perfect happy ending of an advantageous marriage, something his mother fiercely supports even though he's never met the bride to be and she's had such a low opinion of Scotty's previous serious girlfriends but when Claire reads out a news report of a shooting at a nightclub memories of Dexie (Glace Chase), a trans-queen that rescued him from outside the nightclub ten months before, start flooding back and secrets start coming out.

Designer Renée Mulder has transformed the corner stage of the black box space of Wharf 1 theatre into the living room, kitchen, and loft bedroom of a $3.5M trendy New York loft apartment with sleek angular black timber, painted steel and double height windows. Ben Hughes' lighting and Kelly Ryall's compositions and sound design shifts the space from domestic luxury to the variety of clubs and bars where Performance Artist Comedienne Dexie works. The array of fabulous costumes Dexie performs and visits Scotty wearing reinforce the difference in their 'worlds' as does Mulder's costume designs for Deborah, a woman wanting to appear fashionable and rich but not having the budget to match wardrobes with her future daughter in law, and Claire, a woman who values comfort over all else, even, it seems, cleanliness as the dreadlocked socially aware activist takes a relatively long time before removing a layer of grime.

It is an absolute treat to watch Glace Chase's expression of Dexie. Given that Chase shares in the programme that TRIPLE X is "mostly true" and that her own experience and personality informed her creation of Dexie, sharing a number of traits, Chase ensures that there is honesty and truth in the expression without turning her into a caricature that someone that cannot relate so truthfully to the character may not be able to do. Chase ensures that Dexie is endearing and immediately likable while ensuring the audience, particularly those that may not be as familiar with the challenges a Trans woman faces, gets an insight into the realities of Dexie's life and the prejudices she faces.

Josh McConville expresses the stereotypical high flying heterosexual investment banker obsessed with appearances and being seen to be 'on trend' with accuracy so Scotty's evolution of his exploration of his attraction to Dexie, someone who his normal social circle would at best see as voyeuristic amusement and at worst commit transphobic violence, becomes even more significant. He ensures that his inner conflict is clear along with his growing connection to Dexie and the associated desire to protect her, seemingly somewhat prepared to accept the prejudice projected at him for being with a Trans woman. Anthony Taufa ensures Scotty's best friend Jase is partly a reflection of Scotty's pre-Dexie attitudes while at times being more extreme in his judgment and prejudice and others seeming to accept the relationship, possibly believing it is a passing 'experiment', all the while trying to ensure that it doesn't mess with Scotty's 'image' and relationship with Kymberley.

Rounding out the intimate cast are Christen O'Leary and Contessa Treffone who both deliver fantastically hilarious performances while still maintaining a realism and truth and the ability to shift into moments of deep sincerity. O'Leary is perfect as the somewhat delusional naïve Southern conservative, or so she'd like her children to believe she's naïve making all the more amusing when the image conscious older woman starts spouting knowledge of sexual activities. Treffone's ability for physical comedy, particularly expressive facial expressions remain priceless as she is able to convey so much without saying a word while maintaining a truthful and realistic characterisation with every response being natural and intuitive.

Triple X is a captivating and heart-warming story that has the audience roaring with laughter at Chase's incredibly clever dialogue. Director Paige Rattray ensures that the comic timing of the work lands perfectly and that there is suitable silence for the weightier moments. The physical comedy, directed by Fight and Intimacy Director Nigel Poulton, is brilliant with the audience gasping at shock as they hope they performers don't do themselves serious injury as they bounce off furniture and fight each other. The Triple xx scene is hilarious and creative, particularly when paired with O'Leary's reactions from the loft.

TRIPLE X is a fabulous piece of theatre that shares a story not usually seen on mainstream theatre stages. It is wonderful that this work is getting the exposure that Sydney Theatre Company has as this should be seen by all audiences, not just the Trans or Queer communities. It is enlightening for others to gain a better awareness, understanding and acceptance of Trans people and Trans attraction. Highly recommended.

https://www.sydneytheatre.com.au/whats-on/productions/2022/triple-x