Tricyclic Transform - A Genderqueer Musical Cabaret - Trailer with Live footage
'Tricyclic Transform' is a solo queer musical cabaret show. Recognising singing and the invention of alternate persona as key catalysts in the creation of queer identity, it theatricalizes the genderqueer experience by documenting the creation and self-destruction of my 'biologically-challenged drag-queen' alter-ego Miss Liliane. They try to negotiate restrictive gender-roles by performing symbolic rituals and re-enacting iconic songs, but the inability of their mind to comfortably inhabit any predefined role causes them to get trapped in an endless loop of repeated, pointless gestures. 'Tricyclic Transform' presents gender as a cyclical spectrum: Miss Liliane tries on gender identities as they try on clothes and pitches. But each time new inner conflicts arise, propelling them further round the gender wheel, until they come back full circle, to a genderless, endlessly questioning, naked body.
20 songs spanning several genres (Torch songs, jazz, musicals, gospel, European Cabaret/Chanson, 'storytelling' songs by Johnny Cash, Scott Walker) are united by a dramatic delivery focusing on character interpretation and organised in 4 parts: Sacrificial femininity, Lilith (Predatory Femininity), Androgyne, Dionysos (Broken Man). The theatrical presentation mixes popular alt-drag cabaret with live-art aesthetics including on-stage costume change, breast binding and destroying make-up. Judith Butler takes on RuRaul Drag Race!
Tricyclic Transform goes beyond the ‘private confessional’ nature of many queer solo performance to explore a full spectrum of psychological perspectives and gender archetypes, drawing on aesthetics inspired by ‘Lynchian’ cabaret and German Expressionism.
Melanie trained as a visual artist at Camberwell College of Art, and as a jazz and cabaret singer with Paul Sand. Their performance mixes popular alt-drag cabaret and dark cabaret singing with live-art aesthetics to question gender identities, and portray individuals fighting restrictive social norms. They show work in exhibitions, galleries, film festivals, clubs as well as traditional performance venues.
Past performance
Coocoolili ‘Unlove Affairs‘: Miss Liliane, biologically challenged drag queen, sings Torch Songs! Jamboree, London. (20 min excerpt from 1st part).
Guerilla Zoo presents Modern Panic 8: Panic Sermons Act II : A collection of riotous acts by ground breaking live art practitioners (Tricyclic Transform short 20 min version)
Wotever Brighton – Queer Variety Show, Marlborough theatre, Brighton (1 song as 5min drag act)
Trans and Non-Binary conference, Brighton University, July 2017 (Tricyclic Transform short 30 min version).
Dreams Before Dawn, Festival of International Performance, Théâtre de Ménilmontant, Paris, July 2017.
Brighton Fringe, May 2017 (Premiere).