Immersive Play Puts Audience In Role Of Trans Woman
The “hilarious and electrifying” show comes to Bristol this June
A brand new play which puts audiences into the perspective of a trans woman will be coming to the Alma Tavern Theatre this June.
You’ve Gone Quiet is from Brighton based Open Handed Theatre. It’s written and produced by Cerys Duffy, a trans playwright. The cast and crew is made up of an inclusive group of trans and cis creatives.
Cerys first started writing they play back in 2020. Since then, she has found the relevance of the story to have grown and become “more important than ever”.
“Whether it’s sports, youth groups or even using the toilets at our jobs, trans people’s voices have been pushed further into the margins,” she explains.
“I truly believe that these new imposed rules hurt everyone, trans or not. This play lets us show we aren’t a group of monsters, but people who deserve to be loved and respected like any other.”
It’s been over a year since the EHRC’s interim guidance on single sex spaces, leading to an increasingly hostile time for trans people.
In 2025, TransActual released report Trans Lives 2025: Continuing To Endure The Hostile Environment, which looked into the depth of the issue.
Their survey of over 4,000 trans people living in the UK found that there were systemic barriers which affected trans people’s housing and ability to access GP surgeries. This was not helped by a lack of appropriate ID to reflect an individual’s gender identity.
The data found that 97 per cent of those responding had experienced transphobia, with 84 per cent having experienced it over the past year.
A total of 99 per cent said that the transphobia in the media was harming their mental health or gender dysphoria. And, 98 per cent of those who had experienced transphobia from family members said that the media had impacted how their family members treated them.
The data was collected before the EHRC’s interim guidance. The clear transphobia online and in the media has ramped up the negativity in response.
You’ve Gone Quiet specifically puts the audience inside the life of a trans woman. Staging the play in second person gives the audience a chance to immerse themselves in the story.
It’s been described by previous audiences as “hilarious” and “electrifying”.
The story follows struggling journalist Beth, whose best friend asks her to help conceive a baby. When Beth turns it into an article, the theatre audience will see how something innocent can become a sinister cultural meme.
It highlights the importance of an inclusive media at a time when issues affecting people are labeled “debate” to maintain silence.
“Since Cerys first asked me to direct this wonderful play, I’ve been in such a privileged position to uplift the talented trans people near and dear to us,” Director Andy McLeod says.
“Truly great theatre can only happen when the people who make it can live safely and with dignity. The theatre world must stand unequivocally alongside the trans community, and this production is proof of what magic can be created when that happens.”
You’ve Gone Quiet will be at the Alma Tavern 08 – 10 June 2026
For more information or to book, visit: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/almatheatrecompany/2108968
Cast and Creatives
Beth – Shane Convery
Tara – Gennifer Becouarn
Samantha – Sophia Vi
Rory – Matt Vickery
Gaz – Oliver Redpath
Ian – Matt Roberts
Writer and producer – Cerys Duffy
Director – Andy McLeod
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