Hasbian

Hasbian (noun): A former lesbian who has “become” bisexual or heterosexual.

An autobiographical comedy about coming out as a lesbian, only to discover that boys are also appealing.

Hasbian uses real teenage diaries, music, and teen-movie actors from the early 00s to tell a story of growing up queer in Brighton (the UK’s Gay Capital) under Section 28 (the 1988 – 2003 law prohibiting the “teaching of homosexuality as a pretended family relationship”).

Dripping in equal measures with heartfelt earnestness, sharp irony, and humour that bubbles up in the place between youthful confidence and pubescent self-loathing, Hasbian will fill Millennial audiences with buzzy nostalgia, while exposing queerphobia in the most liberal of cities.

Writer/performer: Beth Watson

Creative producer: Josephine Shipp

Get a flavour of the show: Listen to Beth talking Hasbian & reading an extract on The Coming Out Tapes podcast in 2019.

Keep up-to-date with future performances by following @HasbianShow on social media:

Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

Fancy sharing some writings or memories from your own teenage years?

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Beth stands on a black stage, holding a blue notebook and talking into a microphone with an excited expression. Beth is a short white person with dark hair in a high ponytail, wearing blue checked shorts-style dungarees, a white t-shirt and red Doc Marten boots. At the back of the stage is a projection split into 3 jagged-edged irregular shapes, showing a picture of the rock band Placebo playing a gig against swirling lights. There is also a white stage block, about the right size to sit 2 people bench-style.

Beth stands on a black stage, behind a plinth, making an aggressive expression with teeth bared, and gesticulating as though giving a political speech. Beth is a short white person wearing blue checked dungarees, and a white t-shirt. On the wall behind Beth is a projection split into 3 jagged-edged irregular shapes, showing the face of Margaret Thatcher with a skull outline visible, and glowing, flaming eyes. Instead of hands, she has talons like a giant bird of prey.

Image credits:

Promo photos by Holly Revell.

Production stills from a sharing of Hasbian at CPT, directed by Chloe Kennedy, filmed by Kristina Pringle & Milo Hutchings, featuring projections by Edalia Day, lighting by Harvey Nowak-Green, and dungarees by The Emperor's Old Clothes.