Name as you’d like it to appear:
Vincent Van Nieuwenhuyze
Gender as you’d like it to appear:
Male (Gender non-conforming)
City you live in and/or improvise in most:
Ghent/Brussels
Impro(v) Bio:
Vincent is a professional improv teacher, player, and coach from Ghent, Belgium. He has performed for almost 15 years and has been teaching improv in Belgium and on the international improv circuit for over 7. Vincent brings intimacy, warmth, safety, and tons of energy to scenes. He loves refreshing the basics and keeping the fun in the fundamentals. With a background in social work and education, he loves to find ways to educate society through improv and together create a more diverse, more accepting, warm, and loving environment for all of us to play in.
How does being GNC influence your impro(v)?
I think in my case it might have been the other way around. Playing improv and being a multitude of characters have made me analyze my character type I play most often. It made me realize that I often play characters that are not necessarily Cisgender males. As I’ve been on a lifelong journey of who I am and what I am, this did push me more into accepting that I could be who I want to be, and not what was decided for me.
Do you play GNC/Queer characters often?
I actively engage with gender and sexuality themes in my improv and view the stage as a valuable platform for incorporating audiences into my personal exploration, thereby functioning as an educational platform into my world and the broader spectrum of human experiences. I appreciate it when audience members or fellow performers express curiosity and pose questions following shows or training sessions. It shows their genuine interest and openness to seeking answers, understanding, or engaging in dialogue on these subjects.
How do you feel about playing different genders generally, in terms of naming gender and of expressing it?
In general, I don’t believe that you can ‘play’ another gender, you play a character, a person, a colorful soul with all it’s beauty and thorns. And the gender of a character is something that you or someone else can name but it might not be what the character feels/experiences. It’s a bit the eternal struggle if the gender of a character is a necessary information for the continuance or importance of the scene. It can be a powerful tool and give a message, educational value when used correctly. But in most of the times it doesn’t really matter for the scene or the goals of the scene itself. And this causes some people to make it into a joke instead of showing the world the different kinds of people out there.
But then again this is my personal feeling as for me my gender shouldn’t be something that matters to anyone, it should be me as a person that should matter, and the little puzzle piece of ‘what’ I am is not of importance for the continuance of our friendship/relationship/situational conversation. Will this change? Well, I’m still in a massive identity search so it could be that my own personal views might change depending on how I as a person evolve.
How do you feel about cisgender actors playing trans/NB/GNC characters in impro(v)?
If they have knowledge/intelligence about it, ABSOLUTELY. Go for it! I love when we can see others play the beautiful diversity of the world. Especially if they have knowledge and intelligence about it and can play it beautifully; This shows me understanding, empathy, education and especially inclusion. HOWEVER, sadly enough I see people reverting into tropes and stereotypes for landing a joke, or to ‘spice’ up a scene just for the ‘comedy’ aspect of it.
Does your local impro(v) community know/understand your gender? If so, how has that been in terms of acceptance/understanding?
They do. I feel so very welcome and safe in my direct environment. Not only do I feel accepted and understood but I feel they offer me a nurturing environment to search for myself, to become more of who I am / want to be.
What are some things that teachers/directors/other performers can do to make sure trans/NB improvisers feel safe and welcome?
Educate yourselves! Ask people around you that are part of the communities how you can make sure everyone can be included and welcome. What I do is ask everyone’s preferred pronouns, do an energy check every time. Talk about safety, openness, and inclusion in groups. Be open to make mistakes and to learn from them, don’t be afraid of the conversation that follows making a mistake.
Thinking about examples of trans/NB characters across all media (Impro(v), TV, Movies, Plays etc), what are the best trans/NB characters or stories you’ve seen depicted? The worst?
Having grown up without much positive representation, it’s only recently that I’ve found characters who truly resonate with me. Series like Pose and Heartstopper fill me with hope and warmth, knowing that younger generations are seeing their realities reflected on screen. Even shows like The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power portray diverse identities as simply a part of life, not a punchline or a source of negativity. They offer hope and empowerment instead of reinforcing fear for the sake of comedy.
Who do you look up to/admire as a trans/NB person in impro(v) or the world generally?
I look up to a lot of people but in Belgium I look up to Petra De Sutter. She is known for being one of the first openly transgender politicians in Europe, contributing to increased visibility and representation for the transgender community in politics. Her voice really means a lot to me and het values are mostly aligned with mine.
What’s something special that you and/or trans/NB performers have to offer?
With firsthand experience, we carry stories, encounters, and, above all, a voice eager to share with everyone. They might not agree, they might resist, however if they listen then that’s already a major step forward to reflecting a more inclusive and loving society on stage as well. At least that’s what I hope/believe.
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