What Do Burgers and Transphobia Have In Common? Travis Alabanza Explains It All To You

For trans theater artist Travis Alabanza (they/them), becoming a performer and realizing their gender identity occurred to them simultaneously. "I had to survive in a working-class comprehensive school being a very visible, effeminate person that was read as a man," the British-born performance artist told the Guardian in 2019. "So, I had to learn really quick how to perform every day: when I could be myself, when I couldn't, when I had to hide certain things. And I was like, 'Damn, I'm good at this.'"

But while they wanted to act, it was not in the cards for their working-class family to send them to drama school. Then, at 16, Alabanza happened upon an open mic night at a club in their home town of Bristol and signed up to perform. "I was there, this black queer kid in the middle of all these middle-aged white men, and did this performance about a blow job...and I got hooked on it."

Alabanza comes to Boston on April 13 under the auspices of ArtsEmerson, not to perform their blow job poem, but instead to perform their solo piece, "Burgerz," which is described as a "trans cooking show with a recipe for reclamation." The show premiered in 2019 at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it won the Edinburgh Fringe Total Theatre award. It has since toured internationally to sold-out shows in Southbank Centre, Sao Paulo Brazil and HAU Berlin.

It was written in response to a curious act of homophobic violence – a burger was thrown at them on Waterloo Bridge and no one came to their assistance. "As well as gender," the Guardian wrote, "'Burgerz' explores street harassment and colonisation, while Alabanza makes a burger on stage with the help of a white man, plucked from the audience."

In reviewing the piece, the Guardian wrote: "Although fragile, Alabanza is sassy and witty, feeding off the audience like a seasoned cabaret star and riding the unpredictability of the interactive format. They generate roars of laughter, but the angry and intelligent script is also underscored with the real pain of exclusion, of being boxed in, of being trapped in a world where sexual and racial violence is prevalent and, too often, tolerated."

The work introduced Alabanza as a vital voice in British queer theater. In addition, their website reads, their writing has appeared in the BBC, Guardian, Vice, Gal-Dem and previously had a fortnightly column in the Metro. They are also the youngest recipient of the artist in residency program at Tate Galleries, Their writing has appeared in numerous anthologies including Black and Gay In the UK. In 2020 their recent theatre show "Overflow" debuted at the Bush Theatre to widespread acclaim and later streamed online in over 22 countries. Other works for theatre and live performance include Royal Court Living Newspaper, Paines Plough, Free Word Centre, Glasgow Transmission Gallery and more. Their work surrounding gender, trans identity and race has been noted internationally, giving talks at universities including Oxford, Harvard, Bristol and more.

EDGE spoke with Alabanza about the incident that prompted them writing the piece, finding a perfect burger and the best way to respond to homophobic violence.

EDGE: For those who aren't familiar with you, how do you describe yourself and your work?

Travis Alabanza: I make theater and I am from England and known for my performance art. My shows always involve the audience in an untraditional way. I create work that crosses different forms, but it's always with an audience in a surprising and hopefully exciting way.

EDGE: What inspired you to write BURGERZ?

Travis Alabanza: Back in 2016, I had a burger thrown at me in broad daylight on the Waterloo Bridge in London and someone yelled transphobic slurs at me. My first reaction was to laugh, which I found really odd. I found it odd that I would respond to something that was quite violent with laughter, but I laughed about it for weeks. I thought it was hilarious that I'd had a burger thrown at me. Then I found it even more surreal that I ignored it like it didn't even happen. That is when I needed to write a show about it. I was obsessed with burgers, and I realized that I had to process what it meant to be that person who can throw a burger at someone. The world is divided between people who throw the burgers and people who get them thrown at them. That's what inspired the show.

EDGE: How has creating this show been therapeutic for you?�

Travis Alabanza: In the beginning, it was definitely therapeutic and really healing because I get to share a little bit of myself with the audience. I don't want to give way too many spoilers because it's all in the show and there is a huge audience element. It is less about me showing myself and more about me recreating the incident with a different ending every night. No matter how many times I've done this show it still heals me. The ending of the show still does something for me every time. It reignites my faith in people, which was lost when the burger was thrown at me. When no one steps in to help, you do lose some faith in humanity, but I think this show is slowly changing that.

EDGE: Instead of hating the burger, you have embraced it. What is your perfect burger made with?

Travis Alabanza: Well, it's definitely the one that we make in the show. I am in New York City right now and just had the most amazing burger. I'm very nervous about doing the show in America because it is home of the burger. Recently, I dined at Fairfax Tavern and Bar here in New York, because I was told that they had the best burger in New York City. I heard the reason it's famous is because a restaurant got shut down and the Fairfax bid for the recipe and won. It was the most amazing burger I had ever tasted. I had told the person there that I needed to come back tomorrow and they said they were fully booked. I showed them that I'm doing a whole show about burgers, and they squeezed me in. I was so excited.

EDGE: Mayonnaise is actually good for your skin, but how did it feel on your skin?

Travis Alabanza: When the mayonnaise fell on my dress, I was fuming, because I was wearing a really gorgeous dress and I was on my way to do a talk. I now had this big spot of mayonnaise on me. I'm from a very black household and mayonnaise was not acceptable. It wasn't until I moved out, that I was able to love and accept it. So, now I fucking love mayonnaise. There's a bit in the show where it gets applied and it's a choice about how much. When it comes to mayonnaise on my burger, I'm always very disappointed when there's not a lot.

EDGE: How do you think LGBTQ representation is changing for this generation?

Travis Alabanza: It is changing slowly, but there is change. Visibility is everything. There has never been this much representation and visibility as there is today and I think that's created a lot of good things. We have words and we're feeling confident to describe ourselves and we are creating stuff on our own terms. Yes, some things have changed legally for us, but the energy in the voices of the hateful is still the same. There is still moral panic around trans and gender non-conforming people that needs to stop. We need to continue to fight and connect our voices to continue to make change. Many have fought for us to get here, we need to continue the fight for the future generation.

EDGE: I've read a few reviews (UK reviews) and "Burgerz" has been doing really well. Do you read reviews?

Travis Alabanza: I just read the bad ones. [They laugh.] I did read them at the beginning and now I will be in Boston doing the show [and] I will read them because I will be intrigued how it will be received. I don't read them in England anymore because when the show came out, there were lots of protests. There was so much noise I just decided not to listen and to just appreciate what's in front of me. It wasn't until after the show finished its big run that I read them, and the reviews were quite good. I am more interested in the audience feedback. I like when people contact me about their show experience. Critics have a job to do, but I don't want their word count to be the only conversation about this show. It is so much more.

EDGE: What advice to do you have for the LGBTQ community who are a target of hate?

Travis Alabanza: I say: Take all the time you need to honor all the different feelings and don't judge the feeling that you have. Sometimes when I have experienced hate, I get angry and upset and just wanted to scream. There have been times that I felt really powerful, which is hard to explain. I used to feel a bit guilty that I would feel powerful after being hated on. Like what does that mean? Then I would think I shouldn't judge the feelings that I have. Anytime we experience it, we can vibe however we want. We control our emotions. There was a time that as a victim I'd scream at them until I realized that was a bit too dangerous, even if it did work. Then I had to remind myself that there must be so much fear inside them that they are afraid of my freedom. I am glad I don't have to live my life like that.

EDGE: You'll be in Boston for a few nights – will you have any time for some sightseeing?

Travis Alabanza: I love Boston. I actually worked in Cambridge at the Cambridge Latin High School for a summer. I was participating in a teacher training program. I also did a lecture at Harvard for their LGBTQ studies. I do have a few things planned. I want to try JP Licks. I know Boston has some amazing food. I want to make sure I find all the good places. I also want to get up to Maine and explore a bit.

EDGE: Who should come see your show?

Travis Alabanza: Everyone, but especially your grandma. I think it's a really funny and unexpected show. Sometimes people think they're going to come and get a lecture, but that's not what this show is about. I do know that you won't see a show like this ever again. I can say that confidently. It is a very unique show. If you hate it, how amazingly you went to something that you had such a strong hate for. And if you loved it, you'll go and eat a burger.

"Burgerz" runs April 13 - 24 at the Emerson Paramount Center, Jackie Liebergott Black Box, 559 Washington St, Boston, MA
For more information, visit the ArtsEmerson website or call 617-824-8400 (Tue-Sat from 12:00PM ET - 6:00PM ET). The Paramount Center Box Office (559 Washington Street, Boston) is open for walk-up service Thu-Sat from Noon - 6:00 PM ET.