Sorry About The Mess: Cassie Workman Is Gifting The World A Punk Trans Superhero

Created by Australian comedian and musician Cassie Workman, Sorry About The Mess is a new animated comedy series following Alice Peril, the transgender lead singer of punk band SUX. 

Alice’s breakup with her partner Emma coincides with the emergence of a mysterious supernatural force threatening their town.

Blending punk rock, surreal comedy and supernatural themes, the series explores identity, transition and change through a queer-focused lens.

“I was looking for something where I could incorporate music and art and comedy and storytelling,” Cassie tells Star Observer, explaining that it began as a pandemic project.

“But I also wanted to tell a story about how love conquers all, and loving yourself, and having respect for yourself, and being honest about yourself. 

“But it was also at a time – and unfortunately we’re still in that time, it’s getting worse if anything – where trans people are being targeted and pretty boldly oppressed,” she continues

“I wanted to make something that was sort of a commentary on that. I wanted to give trans people a trans superhero. And I also wanted to give the world [and] everyone who’s not trans a trans super hero. Why not?”

The project will launch a Kickstarter campaign in June, seeking AUD$200,000 to fund a fully animated proof-of-concept pilot, with the goal of developing the series for international streaming platforms. 

Produced by Melbourne animation studio Princess Bento, the creative team includes producer Mike Cowap, whose credits include Smiling Friends, Koala Man and YOLO: Crystal Fantasy. 

The executive producer is none other than Lilly Wachowski. Yep – THAT Lilly Wachowski, co-creator of The Matrix and Sense8. 

“I came up with something and I liked it a lot more than I thought I was gonna like it. I really worked very hard on it, and they sent it to Princess Bento and they really really loved it – so we started working together on it. Then we got Lilly Wachowski involved,” says Cassie, attempting to act casual about the enormously famous director, and proud trans woman, loving Sorry About The Mess.

“Lilly is like a super generous, very genuinely dedicated artist who really spends most of her time trying to help other artists, apart from making other work.”

Workman says she’s since been over to Chicago to stay with Lilly and work on the show. 

“We would be eating dinner, and I would look across the table at her and be like ‘holy SHIT, you made The Matrix’, and she’d say ‘shut up stop saying that!’,” Cassie laughs. 

When I ask about making art as a trans person in the current climate, Cassie explains that it’s become a bit of a liability in the mainstream to be a trans creator.

“But I wanted to make the point that we’re all in a state of transition. And I think that often people think of the trans experience as this alien fringe experience. It’s not – everybody can relate to being in transition. 

“Everybody is changing. Everybody’s growing, or I would hope they are. So I wanted to sort of tell that story too, because everyone in the show is changing.”