One of the most extraordinary pieces of theatre written in the last few decades I Am My Own Wife tells the true story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf and her escape from persecution during the Second World War. Charlotte survived two of the most repressive regimes of the 20th Century — the Nazis and the East German Communists — while courageously providing refuge for Berlin’s avant-garde. Charlotte wore a simple black dress and a string of pearls in plain sight, staggeringly unique in a time of conformity.
What makes her story so astounding is that Charlotte was a man and she lived her defiant, distinctive life adamantly on her own terms. As playwright Doug Wright researched this fascinating life, disturbing contradictions began to emerge, leading him to question whether Charlotte truly lived as uncompromisingly as she recalls…
The production showcases the mastery of outstanding actor Robert Jarman, who plays nearly forty characters. He treads the fine line between reality and impossibility that makes Charlotte’s story so vividly theatrical and completely engrossing. The 2004 World Premiere season of I Am My Own Wife won 14 major awards including 2 Tony Awards.
I Am My Own Wife is the kind of play that makes individuals feel privileged to have been part of an audience. It is the only one-person play to win a Pulitzer Prize and is a beautifully written account of a remarkable story.
