PERFORMER, public speaker and writer Benjamin MacEllen is preparing to bring his one man show, Transmansplaining, back to his hometown for Bendigo\u2019s Pride Festival.<\/p>\n
With two performances on 19 and 20 March, at 8pm at The Engine Room, after debuting the show years earlier, MacEllen said he\u2019s excited to show it again where it all began.<\/p>\n
\u201cI did it first in October 2019 here in Bendigo and the Pride Festival asked me to bring it back last March, which obviously didn\u2019t happen,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m thrilled to be a part of this festival as it grows, not just the acceptance but the beginning of a whole lot more nurturance of our LGBTQI community in Bendigo and I\u2019m even hoping to tour the show regionally in Victoria if not further afield.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a privilege to be able to bring a local queer story and I\u2019m really passionate about encouraging other artists in whatever form it comes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Combining his love for stand-up comedy, acting, writing and public speaking, MacEllen said Transmansplaining is a true display of both his personal experiences and professional skills.<\/p>\n
\u201cTransmansplaining is a comedy and drama and a little bit of music that explores my journey of realising that I was transgender, the lumps and bumps of realising it later in my life at 33,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe other side is my experiences having lived, socialised and educated as a female and now living as a privileged male and seeing the differences in language and the way I\u2019m treated.<\/p>\n
\u201cI explore it through intimate disclosures and some funny stories about what it\u2019s been like to be me and be the male I am in the world having had my experience being brought up for 33 years as a female.\u201d<\/p>\n
Inviting both queer and cis-gendered audiences over the age of 15 to come along to the show, MacEllen said there\u2019s a story, and even a lesson, in it for everyone.<\/p>\n
\u201cSome of this was a response to the questions that people would ask me, sometimes they were good questions and sometimes they were inappropriate questions,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s why it\u2019s called Tansmansplaining, obviously a play on mansplaining and it\u2019s me explaining some of those answers so hopefully people don\u2019t have to ask other people in their lives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PERFORMER, public speaker and writer Benjamin MacEllen is preparing to bring his one man show, Transmansplaining, back to his hometown for Bendigo\u2019s Pride Festival. With two performances on 19 and 20 March, at 8pm at The Engine Room, after debuting the show years earlier, MacEllen said he\u2019s excited to show it again where it all […]<\/p>\n