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Someone Has Got to Be John

 
Gillian Bain Review by Gillian Bain 4 Published: 12 Aug 2025 theSpaceTriplex Show Dates: 11 Aug 2025-23 Aug 2025

It takes a certain audacity to mash up The Beatles, the first international symposium on gender identity, and the transmasculine experience. In Someone Has Got to Be John, they turn that unlikely combination into something sharp, surreal and thought-provoking.

Sharp, surreal and thought provoking

The premise is based on imagining the company as a struggling but committed tribute act to The Beatles, but there is the glaring absence of one important element – John Lennon. But Speakbeast aren’t really here to talk about The Beatles. They’re here to talk about authenticity, and what it means to inhabit an identity that the world insists on misreading. While a trans person is obviously not simply an impersonator, and they make this perfectly clear, it acts as a powerful metaphor for not being seen by the world as how you see yourself. And thanks to their inspiration from The Beatles, it has a phenomenal soundtrack.

Structurally, the piece leans into a form of montage or post-narrative collage. They dip between the band squabbling, lip-syncing to archival academic audio recordings, and character monologue. This refusal to hold the audience’s hand makes the show feel a bit like a puzzle at times, challenging the audience to form their own picture, but as you place the final piece of the jigsaw you may discover you lost some of the pieces along the way – who was John the YouTuber again? Have we met this psychologist before? It is beautiful and intellectual, but without a completely flawless execution this style of theatre can leave audiences not fully satisfied. This doesn’t mean it’s not a worthwhile watch – the opposite is true. This is a company who are so close. Speakbeast are such an exciting young company; their style is original and feels truly authentic. They feel provocative but caring, and loaded with undeniable potential.

The performers themselves are a delight to watch. They have a great ensemble energy where you can tell that the relationships are fully authentic. For the most part they have an effortless charm and a captivating sense of purpose. In one of the production’s most powerful moments, a performer applies testosterone gel onstage. It’s an act presented without spectacle or apology – just another part of life, as ordinary as tuning a guitar. In the current climate of trans panic in the UK, that quiet normalcy becomes radical.

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The Blurb:

Speakbeast are doing a tribute act – and we think we’re doing a pretty convincing job. Paul is telling everyone how to stand. George keeps quitting and coming back. And nobody knows what Ringo’s on about. And if you really squint, we almost look like the real thing. But something is missing. And he keeps trying to get in. From Binge Fringe Queer Performer's Award winners Speakbeast, SHGTBJ is a fever dream we've been having about transmedicalism. About breakups. About separating reality from realness. And about separating The Beatles from John.