Mx Tonié Field
Classical guitarist and performer
Gender Creative
They/them/sie
Dressed in an intricate silk Baroque gown with a tall wig and period make-up, Tonié’s performance as a Marie Antoinette-like character staged in the sexy adult store was a stark contrast to the beautiful concert halls and theatres that they are more accustomed to.
The show, Erotic Bedtime Stories for Adults, was a collaboration with performer Janelle Da Silva and explored the various performance genres such as cabaret, drag, burlesque, performance art, movement and live music, providing the perfect stage for Tonié to manifest and embrace their gender diversity in a very public way.
“I had been experimenting with different forms of performance at university, breaking away from traditional forms, exploring with make-up and costumes, pushing the boundaries… I really loved it!” explains Tonié, an acclaimed classical guitarist with a host of accolades under their belt including multiple ARIAs.
Tonié’s journey to embracing their “gender creativity” began from childhood growing up as a little boy in England and carrying on into their teens in the northern suburbs of Perth. Overwhelmed by all that they were feeling, Tonié chose to immerse themself into building a career as an accomplished classical guitarist.
With the support of Christina, their wife of over 20 years, Tonié finally took the bold step in 2013 to embrace what they had been fighting for years and has never looked back.
“We’d been through so much together. We’re so lucky we never get bored of each other. Some people find it really difficult to grapple with our identity. And like when people change their bodies to match the identity and all that. I truly believe that people can deal with it but the love has to be there… And you have to really be prepared to go on that journey.”
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Mx Tonié is co-producer at ‘ReVULVAlution’ along with Janelle Da Silva (Mama Boho), who together produce disruptive intersectional, feminist, gender subversive decolonised performance.
ReVULVAlution produces work, operates and collaborates under an alternative financial understanding that accounts for intersectionality and privilege. Tonié brings captivating non-binary multi-disciplinary, award winning performances through guitar, costume and production skills to ReVULVAlution. Together with with Janelle, they provide a platform for marginalised disadvantaged artists from all diasporas to be featured on the mainstage. Tonié is a modelling and costume buff and has modelled for Gun Shy, Edgely, Chicken Kiev Monster and Mr Ophelia X design fashion labels and produced work for Melbourne Spring Fashion Week as well as local Melbourne design exhibitions and photographers. Sie has tutored and lectured at the Victorian College of Fine Arts and Music since 1998 and is embarking on a PhD on non-binary approaches to multi-disciplinary intersectional performance.
Facebook - TonieField1
Instagram - @toniefield
VCA/MCM - findanexpert.unimelb.edu.au/display/person22529
Costuming: Mix n Max Costumery (Mx Tonié Field)
Shoot location: Passionfruit the Sensuality Shop
Insta - @passionfruitshop
FB - Passionfruit Thesensualityshop
Web - passionfruitshop.com.au