In 1992 at its first performance in Melbourne, Sex Diary of An Infidel seemed to conjure up a kind of netherworld – a place where lies and deception created an atmosphere not unlike a noir-ish thriller.

On its return season and national tour a year later, the political implications of the play seemed to have somehow deepened. Time does mysterious things to plays. Now, the sex-tour as metaphor for Western exploitation seemed more to the fore - and transsexual Toni’s choices more politically resonant.

In subsequent productions this shift seems to have intensified, no doubt informed by an increasing awareness of the mendacity of much international politics. Deception is of course very attractive territory for the playwright and I vividly remember the delight the first cast of actors took in teasing out the lies. In an age when truth seems to have lost its currency in public life, that delight may perhaps darken a little.

Michael Gurr
Melbourne
January 2006

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