MR BIG aka Tatay, A Transwoman and That Tiring Tune! at fortyfivedownstairs

Set between Australia and the Philippines, the tragicomedy MR BIG aka Tatay, A Transwoman and That Tiring Tune! deals with pain and regret.

Diana (Dax Carnay-Hanrahan) is a trans Filipina woman who now lives in Australia and is engaged to be married to the love of her life, Jerry (Aiden Gale Miranda).

At the same time, she is carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.

Photos by Myca Guinchoma

She is holding on to a dark secret that she can’t bring herself to share with her fiancé, even though he can see the pain she is in and shows great patience.

In Manila, in times gone by, family turmoil is playing out.

Joey or Tatay, which is a Filipino word for father (Trevor Santos), is a skilled singer and guitarist. 

He cheated on his wife, Tess (Anna Buenaseda) with the housekeeper.

Having always seen himself as a ladies’ man, Joey is finding it increasingly difficult to relate to his teenage son, Dion (Ken Paolo).

They connected when Dion was younger and Joey was keen to see Dion follow in his footsteps as a performer.

But, more recently, there has been a growing distance between them. 

For his part, Dion finds he can’t speak with his father the way he would like to.

Even though Joey maintains that Dion can tell him anything, what he doesn’t want to hear is that Dion has gay tendencies.

Lending support to Joey is his best mate Nolet (Ayril Borce), while Alfie (also Ayril Borce) does similarly for Diana, at the same time espousing a few home truths. 

So it is that these two stories are related because Dion becomes Diana, whose sister (played by Anna Buenaseda) still resides in the Philippines.

Both Joey and Diana are now plagued by a voice in their heads, specifically American rock band Mr Big’s 1991 ballad To Be with You.

MR BIG aka Tatay, A Transwoman and That Tiring Tune! deals with ghosts from the past that have never been put to bed.

It is the work of writer/performer Dax Carnay-Hanrahan (The Six Guys an Immigrant Trans Person of Colour will Date in Melbourne).

There is a pointed biographical truth in this piece. 

When Dax’s estranged father died in Manila, Dax didn’t feel sorrow. Rather, she felt the sudden weight of being the eldest "son" in a Filipino family.

She speaks of the absurd collision of organising her father’s overseas funeral while planning her own wedding. MR BIG is the rhythm she found in that wreckage.

The work is bittersweet in that it thrives on deliberately exaggerated expressions of angst, so it is funny, but it is also sad.

What is in short supply for Dion is understanding and acceptance, something that stays with him as he becomes Diana. 

Diana is stuck, simply unable to move on.

But she isn’t the only one with regrets. So, too, Dion's father.

The play drip feeds the audience with information … with context, taking its time to give us the full reveal.

While I understand and applaud the intention, I think the conceit could have been moved along a little quicker. 

MR BIG aka Tatay, A Transwoman and That Tiring Tune! runs for 80 minutes.

I believe it could readily have been cut back to a tight hour and lost none of its impact – in fact, it would probably have gained more traction by doing so.

The inability and repetition of Joey and Diana to come clean on the reason behind the voices in their heads started to wear thin.

As for that damn earworm of a song, I used to really like it … before entering the theatre.

Now I can’t get it out of my head because it, or parts thereof, are sung again and again. Of course, that is the full intention. 

The lighting design by Viv Hargreaves, graphic and video design by Jordan Carnay- Hanrahan and music and sound design by Ben Keene really come to the fore whenever we hear To Be with You.

I enjoyed and appreciated all the performances. Each of the actors readily leant into their respective roles with zest and conviction, displaying their aptitude.

A number gave larger than life showings, just as the script called for.

Ayril Borce straddled the mates’ roles to perfection. He doesn’t hold back, milking each to the fullest.

Dax Carnay-Hanrahan and Trevor Santos throw themselves into their respective personas with a ferocity of intent. Each also has a strong singing voice.

Some evocative costume choices by costume and set designer Christina Logan-Bell aided the cause.

The set has various layers to it, which is established through the props, including a simple table setting, a drinks’ cart and a sleek white coffin.

Director Beng Oh ensures there is plenty of imputus in this offering, as big feelings are laid bare.

It is on at fortyfivedownstairs until 5^th July, 2026.