Set thousands of years in the future, ‘Hindsite’ tells the story of alien historians exploring a wrecked spaceship from Earth and trying to understand more about the human race. Written by MA student Órla Conder, the show is heavily influenced by 80s sci-fi, and this is immediately apparent from the simple set (a large keyboard stands in as the main control panel of the spaceship) and the shiny, camp costumes – pink jumpsuits that look like they’ve come straight from classic Doctor Who or Blake’s 7. As the aliens get caught up in historical records surrounding the meaning of gender and sexuality, the sci-fi romp takes a more serious turn, becoming a nuanced tale of trans identity, influenced by Órla’s own lived experiences.
The aliens are themselves genderless, and this gives us a unique perspective from which to approach this argument – two beings who have no stakes in the game, as it were. Etcha (played by Haisely) takes their time to assess important details, exploring first-hand accounts of trans people and trying to understand individual experiences, whilst Tee (played by Charlie) focuses only on media reports, and uses this to make (often incorrect) judgements and assumptions. Tee is quicker to fly-off-the-handle and catastrophise events, trying to pull Etcha away from their research as soon as events start to become slightly dangerous. Etcha, meanwhile, is much calmer and relaxed, and both Haisely and Charlie’s portrayals perfectly contrast with each other to set up an interesting dynamic.
Etcha becomes fascinated by personal accounts from an early space explorer Iris (played by Órla), a young trans woman who is struggling with her identity, trying to be true to herself whilst also facing horrific abuse and torment from both strangers and close family. Iris appears as a hologram, giving brief updates on her situation in recorded messages to a friend, and it is these segments that prove to be the most moving of the piece. There is a clear vulnerability to Órla’s performance, her monologues offering incredibly intimate insight into what it means to be a trans person in a society where trans people are often marginalised. In her early sections, Órla hides her hair in a beanie hat, an image that reflects her trying to hide her own personality. When she finally decides to embrace her true identity, the hat disappears, and there is a new-found confidence, yet still a subtle unsurety to the performance. She talks about choosing a new name as though choosing a new dress – the text is almost flippant and non-committal, yet the way in which it is delivered perfectly encapsulates the enormity of this moment. Iris tries to make light of this situation to her friend, but it is clear that this means so much to her. It is a moment that will stand out to both trans and non-trans audience members alike, and one that, personally, allowed me to reflect on the experiences of my own trans friends both pre- and post-transition, and reconsider their situation in a new light.
Clearly evoking Red Dwarf’s Holly, the computer (played by Kay) provides additional context for the two alien explorers, often reciting verbatim reports from the 1920s to the present day, which provide an account of the volatility of the press in their discussion of trans people. As the computer, Kay is matter-of-fact and emotionless, yet when reading the reports, they adopt an angrier, almost aggressive tone. This helps to add a layer of humour to the recitation, almost mocking the ridiculous nature of some of the reports, but this does not soften the blow of the hurtful messages being promoted. It is often shocking to realise that major media outlets have been allowed to publish such stories, but sadly not unbelievable. Tee is taken in by this propaganda, sucked into beliefs that trans people are dangerous and children’s minds are being converted by the ‘woke brigade’. It is a fascinating exploration of how easily people can be influenced by media, and an interesting commentary on the state of reporting today and how it is contributing to such a fractured society.
Once Tee and Etcha have left the ship, there follows a particularly argumentative debate, an absorbing back-and-forth which makes for excellent viewing, especially as, by now, both Charlie and Haisely have settled into their roles and are firing on all cylinders. The debate does not reach a satisfactory conclusion – there is no sudden realisation that Tee’s opinion is hurtful or discriminatory, which adds to the complexity of the topic of discussion, but leaves the audience feeling slightly surprised at the sudden nature of the ending. The play is short (50 minutes), and an additional scene in which Tee and Etcha both end up on the same page would not have gone amiss. Although the play carries strong messages, Órla should be congratulated in approaching a topic in such a fun and interesting way that it doesn’t feel like a history lesson. The sci-fi setting seems an inspired choice in which to tell this important story.
Overall, this is a play that feels like it is at the very start of its journey. The production is unpolished in places, but the strength of the plot and the messaging means that this doesn’t matter. I can definitely see a future for this play. I hope that Órla and the other actors continue to work and develop this piece, in order to bring this powerful message to new audiences in the future.
Tom Morley, November 2025
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