A sold-out show for this electrifying, one-of-a-kind theatrical piece of art.
Last Saturday, on March the 13th, we have been honored to witness something incredible and memorable.
In El Teatro theater, at 4 PM, we’ve entered The last show of the mesmerizing world of TranStyX in its last cycle, followed by an exclusive fashion show to launch the new collection of the amazing artist and designer Saifeddine Ben Slimane.
This was my second time attending the show this year.
I cried 3 times during my first attendance as the experience rose many emotions and questions in me I did not know existed, or maybe were just hidden, waiting for something spectacular as this play for them to rise to the surface.
Introducing TranStyX
1 team, 2 passionate actors, 5 original music tracks, 16 talents, 35 videos, 43 light sources
2700+ spectators.
TranStyX, Crossing, عبور is an art project initiated by 'Zanoobya' association to serve sustainable development via art and creativity and it is devised by Tunisian queer artist Moncef Zahrouni.
The play depicts the daily struggles of transgender people to survive and succeed in Tunisia amid its ever-changing social, political, and economical state post-revolution, through the journey of 'Tina' the main character of the play.
The ultimate goal of this fictional play was to empower the trans community to rise from the shadows and fight for their rights.
It deals with several topics such as gender identity, the human body, life after death futuristic Tunisia, and metaphysics.
It succeeded at portraying life through the scientific and philosophical lens and was able to criticize the future of our country in a clever and humoristic way only by the creative director.
Tina, LadyT, Smartina, Louisa, Stella, Dave, Mayara, Gabriel De la Rosa, are the stars that formed the TranStyX constellation that shone brightly on El Teatro stage for 77 minutes of rawness where we were taking through Tina’s odyssey through time and space.
The Fashion Show
A standing ovation followed the ending of the last line of the script.
But the magic didn’t end there.
As the lights dimmed and actors exit the stage, a light shone in the corners of the theater, and models started marching out one by one, strutting confidently in this new collection, realized by Saif Eddine Ben Slimane.
An experience beyond the grave as a title.
The clothing line was a black and white combination of classy with an edge and a burlesque theme (hommage to LadyT perhaps).
A representation of life after death as the white outfits brought out purity and peace, while the black ones showed intensity and wildness.
I found myself gaping and clapping from one outfit to the other.
The models rocked different outfits with diverse garments and styles from button-down white shirts and long high-waisted pants, a skirt with a wide leg sling, white bathing suit in silk, to black tight corsets with huge metallic boots and heels.
And to unite it all with masquerade masks that gave an extravagant flair to it all.
We saw beards, long hair, short figures, almost every body type.
I even recognized some of my friends from the LGBTQI+ community.
And it was a moment of pride to see them involved and rocking the stage and expressing themselves with the clothes by the designer’s vision.
A bold collection that illustrates the freedom and strong attitude of the community indeed.
This show is the first in Tunisia to break the norm and challenge gender identity in fashion in the form of gender fluidity and body positivity.
It felt like I was in this exotic masquerade show surrounded by humans who shared a bond with me, it happens in the world of Transtyx.
We had another surprise when the actress and feminist Nadia Bousetta joined the models on stage to show support.
After a small break, the theater emptied and it was time for the last debate to follow with the director and the two actresses.
They each took turns in answering questions with as much enthusiasm and information as possible to give a better understanding of the whys and hows that led to this theatrical experiment.
Hearing the people behind the characters was an informative expression that led me to appreciate it all even more and be grateful to have witnessed the creation from such a group of intellectuals and compassionate humans.
I enjoyed their speeches a lot as they opened my mind to different interpretations of this play and amazed me at the open dialogue that they created.
TranStyX The Book
As promised since day one, the transtyx book has finally arrived to end this ride with a bang.
The book includes the original text in addition to a translated version to English.
It compromises the play script of TranStyX, two interviews with trans individuals conducted by Amina Ben Doua, an article by Ramy Khouili and Daniel Levine-Spound that question the injunctive legal texts that deny the rights and liberties of the Tunisian queer community, and eventually a collection of 11 Illustrations, including the play poster designed by Boshra Jalleli.
“Tina is Tunisia, Tunisia is Tina’s pain. Tina is Tunisia’s pain and vice versa,” -Moncef Zahrouni.
Trans-:
(1) Prefix. Across; beyond; on or to the other side of.
(2) Referring or relating to people whose sense of personal identity and gender does not correspond with their birth sex.
Styx:
Greek Mythology. One of the nine rivers in the underworld, over which Charon ferried the souls of the dead.
Where does the Styx drain? Is it possible to row against its current to reach The Elysian Fields? Should the life of a trans be a tragic egodyssey predestined to be swept away by the Styx tide?
