This is an intensely personal story written, performed and composed by Brook Tate who was disfellowshipped from the Jehovah’s Witnesses after coming out as gay, but it is also a very Fringe show.
Tate has been unable to retain contact with his nieces and so he uses a story he made up for them as a vehicle to tell them that he is still thinking of them. His parents left the religion after he die, but there are other members of his family who cannot speak with him, since he is a “bad person”.
We saw Brook transform himself into Debra the Zebra in less than a minute at the BBC recording of the Janice Forsyth Afternoon Show. It was a wondrous sight and today although he only had a zebra jacket with him he conveyed some of the lighter parts of his character in the show.
Birthmarked tells the true story of Brook’s experiences growing up as a Jehovah’s Witness until he was disfellowshipped at the age of 23 because of his sexuality. In a faith that believes Armageddon is imminent, homosexuals will be destroyed, and everyone believes in ‘The Truth’, a young Witness experiences turmoil and pain before discovering his own truth. This funny and moving semi-improvised show follows Brook as he finds the strength to take a leap into the unknown, and shines a light on what it means to be marked… at birth.
Tate is supported live on stage by his five-person band, who multirole as characters in Tate’s journey and incorporate original songs into this story of self-discovery and self-determination.
Tickets are available from www.assemblyfestival.com
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
