Terre Thaemlitz & Saki: trans-sister radio

“Transgenderism” comes in many forms, from cross-dressing to post-operative Transsexuality, each variation carrying its own practices, observations and judgements.

Trans-sister radio combines various forms of storytelling in order to follow these various identities and ways of life, particularly in relation to issues of travel and migration.

Originally developed as a radio drama for the German broadcaster Hessischer Rundfunk HR2 (première 14 November 2004, selected by HR2 for submission to the Karl Sczuka Preis), and released as a CD co-issued this autumn by the Portuguese labels Grain of Sound and Base Recordings, the live adaptation of this project features appearances by Terre Thaemlitz, a nihilistic Transgendered Male-to-Female cross-dresser whose travels are plagued by concerns of violence and discrimination; and her friend Saki, an optimistic Japanese Transgendered Male-to-Female who enjoys travelling throughout Japan by local trains while passing as a female high school student. Terre and Saki stride boundaries of gender and language through conversations, off centre comedy, and scenes accompanied by video and electroacoustic audio (including Saki’s presentation of a “Transgendered Travel” slide show, and outtakes from Terre’s renowned video on gender gaps, “Interstices”, which was produced through Lovebytes in collaboration with the British Council for the Arts).

Ultimately, in both theme and approach, trans-sister radio falls between identities and categories; between man and woman; between fake, facts and pure fiction; between drama, electroacoustic and pop; between stand-up comedy, autobiography and sociological field research.

Concluded with audience Q/A.

afterwards DJ Sprinkles K-S.H.E vs. Deeperama