Oakland Theatre Company, under the masterful leadership of Director Michael Socrates Moran, brilliantly stages a solo performance about the enigmatic transvestite Charlotte von Mahlsdorf.
Playwright Doug Wright based the play on extensive interviews with von Mahlsdorf, exploring her remarkable and multi-faceted life. The performance premiered in New York City in 2003. It then won the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony Award for Best Play in 2004.
Set Designer Sam Fehr’s stage is a white masterpiece—a serene dollhouse-replica of the Gründerzeit Museum framed by a chaotic backdrop of furniture. Church-like candles flicker, casting a soft glow on the all-white background. As darkness falls, an eerie glow emanates from the green-lit headphones and the flickering candles.
We meet Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, born Lothar Berfelde in 1928 Berlin. She stands behind a dollhouse-sized replica of the Gründerzeit Museum, her home and livelihood. Exquisite Renee Mannequin, portrays proud Charlotte, and wears a plain black dress accented by a double strand of pearls. She guides the audience through the museum, carefully withdrawing small pieces of 19th century furniture.
Charlotte’s story comes alive through Mannequin’s fluid, fast-paced transitions. She flits from chair to chair, character to character, impersonating over 30 people effortlessly.
She embodies playwright Doug Wright, who serves as a reporter in the play, conducting interviews with her. She also takes on the role of her supportive aunt, a lesbian who encouraged her to embrace her true self. As a trans person in East Germany, living under the oppressive rule of the Stasi—state police—meant certain death. Yet, she defied the regime’s ordinances and emerged as a heroine of the LGBTQ community.
Elegant Charlotte carried a dark past—she murdered her tormenting Nazi father, beating him to death with a hammer. Many, including Playwright Wright, wondered how she managed to escape the Stasi’s grasp. Did she collaborate with them as a spy? Her life is punctuated by a series of unexplained escapes, leaving the audience grappling with the complexities of her legacy.
Amidst it all, her deep passion for antiques from the late 1800s—particularly gramophones and clocks—adding another layer as one treasured relic leads to another daring escapade.
Wright’s script has a docudrama feel, grounded in true events. It’s compelling how he maintained a significant presence in her life and wrote himself in the play.
Equally impressive is the emphasis on the strength, perseverance, and self-reliance of a transvestite in a tumultuous, unaccepting world.
Kudos to Director Moran for skillfully crafting subtle nuances, particularly in Mannequin’s gestures, while maintaining an air of mystery and intrigue.
Lighting Designer Ashley Munday, Projection Designer Sarah Phykitt, and Sound Designer Michael Kelly heighten this immersive world through a seamless fusion of wall projections, shifting lights, and evocative soundscapes. As Schubert’s somber Serenade swells and fades, its yearning melody lingers over the unfolding scenes.
However, one central question seems to remain: how did Charlotte manage to live so openly as a transvestite under the oppressive rule of the Nazis and Communist regime?
“I Am My Own Wife” is exceptional, a unique solo performance of a questionable, yet engaging character.
“I Am My Own Wife” by Doug Wright, directed by Michael Socrates Moran, assistant direction by Mylo Cardona, at Oakland Theater Project, Oakland, California. Info: oaklandtheaterproject.org – to April 6, 2025.
Cast: Renee Mannequin
Photos: Ben Krantz Studios