'On the Evolutionary Function of Shame' review — trans family story explores an uncertain future
Read our review of On the Evolutionary Function of Shame off Broadway, a new play by D. A. Mindell presented as part of Second Stage Theater's Next Stage Festival.
In the beginning was… shame. Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit in the Garden of Eden, and the consequence was to be ashamed of their own nakedness. And sometime in the not-so-distant future, a scientist named Eve identifies the genetic marker for gender dysphoria and plans to rid the human race of its shame.
On the Evolutionary Function of Shame juxtaposes the originators of shame, named Adam 1 and Eve 1 in the script, with a set of twins, so-called Adam 2 and Eve 2, whose conversations about shame in the present day are no less monumental. Adam 2 is a pregnant trans man who begrudgingly comes to his sister for medical care after a recent miscarriage. But the sibling relationship sours beyond mere bickering when Eve 2 reveals her scientific findings on gender dysphoria to her brother.
As Adam 1 and Eve 1, Jordan Barbour and Elizabeth Ramos are an excellent duo, playing off each other’s goofiness while also tender in their pain, regret, and grief. The scenes of their life after being kicked out of paradise drive home just how universal the themes of the play, from self-doubt to parenthood, are.
Adam 2 is delightfully stubborn and occasionally selfish, played with an inimitable sweetness by Cody Sloan. He tends to let his emotions get the best of him, as both his partner Fox (an emotionally grounding Ryan Jamaal Swain) and his twin sister Eve 2 (Kayli Carter) remind him. But when it comes down to it, Adam is unwavering in his convictions, and his voice becomes a thing of hope and determination as the characters continue to clash.
While much of the present-day dialogue starts out as superficial squabbling, playwright D. A. Mendell’s depth of feeling reveals itself as the characters move into more difficult territory. Particularly powerful is when Adam 2 argues he wouldn’t be who he is today without his own gender dysphoria, as painful as it might have been for him (and his twin) to live through: “It’s like, if you step on a nail, you need there to be pain, otherwise you’re never going to know to take the nail out.”
On the Evolutionary Function of Shame is a master class in weaving topical issues with people and stories that humanize those issues. And in a world that is actively trying to remove trans people from society, to see a play like this one is truly special, and no small privilege.
On the Evolutionary Function of Shame summary
D. A. Mindell’s Off-Broadway debut play, directed by Jess McLeod, begins at the beginning of all things: with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. In the near future (as the script specifies, “close to the present, but a bit to the left and a few steps forward”), a second Adam and Eve meet for a doctor’s appointment. Adam, a newly pregnant trans man, takes up his twin sister Eve’s offer of medical care at her high-tech, trailblazing institution.
As the original Adam and Eve grapple with the consequences of eating the fruit, the siblings wrestle with each other’s principles, their memories of the past, and their different ideas for the future of Adam’s child.
What to expect at On the Evolutionary Function of Shame
My audience was an engaged one. As the characters of the play navigated increasingly tense relationships, the audience audibly gasped, whooped, or groaned, fully hooked in the world of the show thanks in no small part to the cast’s deliveries. It’s easy to get emotionally involved in On the Evolutionary Function of Shame, which is full of deep, meaningful, and often difficult conversations between complex characters.
The Pershing Square Signature Center, where the show is playing, boasts its own cafe/bar and bookstore just outside the theatre. On the night I attended, crowds of people were chatting over a drink or flipping through a book as they waited for the theatre doors to open.
What audiences are saying about On the Evolutionary Function of Shame
With a 81% rating on Show-Score at the time of publication, On the Evolutionary Function of Shame has largely positive audience reviews. Audience members applauded Mindell’s writing and the presentation of heavy themes.
- “Brilliant exploration of gender identity. Could not be more timely.” - Show-Score user Julian 6095
- “Well written, beautifully performed. Thought provoking on many levels.” - Show-Score user Maria
- “I could not stop thinking about this show all night and the day after. Great and nuanced writing” - Show-Score user E 4165
Read more audience reviews of On the Evolutionary Function of Shame on Show-Score.
Who should see On the Evolutionary Function of Shame
- Anyone who likes theatre or media that explores a future complicated by dubious scientific breakthroughs will like the lightly dystopian feel of Eve 2’s workplace, the Eden Project.
- Audience members looking to see a show that spotlights trans main characters played by trans actors will be drawn into the show’s rich world and Adam 2’s emotional complexity.
- Fans of shows like Gilmore Girls or The West Wing will enjoy the fast-talking, quick-witted characters who reach for humor at their lowest moments.
Learn more about On the Evolutionary Function of Shame off Broadway
Earnest, thoughtful, and full of the most existential themes, this is a play that will be tugging at your heartstrings before you can say “evolutionary function of shame.”
Photo credit: On the Evolutionary Function of Shame off Broadway. (Photos by Joan Marcus)
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