The Self Possessed, created and performed by Glenn McKenzie, is a unique and raw human expression that is fascinating to witness. While the execution from a theatre craft perspective is not entirely convincing, the clear personal meaning displayed on stage is beautiful and moving.

The Self Possessed is a one-man show about identity – an exploration of McKenzie themselves, a seventy-year-old queer autistic man, compared to the life of an 18th-century castrato, Gaetano Guardagni. Throughout the show, McKenzie dips in and out of character. At one moment, they speak as Glenn; the next, they don the mask of Gaetano, both literally and figuratively.

This show has a very conversational style, with both Glenn and Gaetano discussing their lives both on and off the stage. Between these monologues, McKenzie performs songs in a marvellous countertenor, ranging from classical opera by Handel to Billie Eilish.

As a fan of shows in unusual venues, I am immediately intrigued by this show’s church setting. Upon entering, the tone is immediately set with serene classical preshow music. Aside from creating a beautiful ambiance, the advantage of a church’s natural acoustics quickly becomes evident. Throughout, McKenzie’s voice fills the space, evoking the church choirs of their youth (to which they allude). While the set is simple, the projections enhance the atmosphere and create striking imagery.

Unfortunately, the story’s flow meanders at times, making it difficult to follow. I find myself occasionally struggling to understand where a particular monologue or song is leading. As far as I can tell, this is due to a few reasons. First, the writing and direction sometimes lack focus and would benefit from tightening – especially at the start with Gaetano’s introduction. I find myself wondering exactly what narrative thread I am meant to follow. This could be deliberate and part of the show’s conversational nature. However, even a candid style needs structure to keep the audience from getting lost. Second, despite the church acoustics, McKenzie’s singing is sometimes hard to understand. Some of the songs are in Italian, of course, but even in clearly English songs, I find myself catching only every couple of words. This slightly breaks immersion, as I am straining to grasp what is being sung.

Despite occasional lapses in clarity, McKenzie’s voice is a delight. As a countertenor, their voice impressively soars higher than most men can dream of. Their immense vocal control is on full display as they navigate some very tricky pieces of music. This culminates in a beautiful rendition of a Billie Eilish song that grips the audience. This is an impressive display, even as McKenzie struggles with their voice on opening night. They clear their throat and pushes through, to great effect.

One slightly distracting issue from the start is McKenzie’s frequent glances down to check their lines. This unfortunately keeps me from full immersion. Surprisingly, however, this somewhat plays into the show itself. Several times throughout, they break character to make a humorous comment. However, midway through, they drop the Gaetano character mid-monologue and speak candidly to the audience. They confess that while they know the material, they keep checking because they don’t trust themselves, and their autism makes things particularly challenging. They explain that they are not confident about doing this show and that, if it weren’t for those around them encouraging them, they would not have stepped on stage.

At this moment, my perspective on the show shifts entirely. Suddenly, I no longer view it through the lens of a critical musical theatre practitioner. Instead, I see a seventy-year-old man struggling with their identity and their autism. In a brave display of vulnerability, they step onto the stage to do what they love: perform.

McKenzie’s frequent glances at their lines remain distracting and eliminating them would free the show from staging constraints. However, given the context, it is inspiring that they get up on stage to tell their truth despite all the challenges they face. If that’s not art, I don’t know what is.

The Self Possessed, created and performed by Glenn McKenzie and produced by Emma Maguire, is a somewhat confusing yet deeply inspiring journey. Though some technical elements fall short, McKenzie’s raw and vulnerable performance makes it an experience well worth seeing.

The Self Possessed is performing in the Wellington Fringe Festival at St Christopher’s in Seatoun until March 1st.

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