Interview with Freddie Haberfellner

Ahead of bringing boobytrapped to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026, I caught up with writer and performer Freddie Haberfellner to chat about creating an uplifting trans body-swap romcom, tackling prejudice with humour, and why laughter can often open doors that debate cannot. We also discussed the show's semi-autobiographical roots, balancing comedy with important conversations around gender identity, and what audiences can expect from No Tits Theatre's latest production.

For anyone discovering boobytrapped, what's the show about?

It’s a body swap romcom between a cis man and a trans man – think Freaky Friday but no one’s related and everyone’s gay. The story begins when Simon and Kevin meet in a gay club; they’re immediately drawn to each other and decide to sneak into the access loo to… well, be gay with each other. But Kevin freaks out when he realises Simon is trans, and next thing they know they’re stuck in each other’s bodies. For the rest of the play, we see them navigating each other’s identities whilst figuring out how to swap back, which brings up questions of what makes someone a man, how the way we look impacts our lived experience and why we all seem to have so many issues with our own bodies.

Where did the original idea for a trans body-swap romantic comedy first come from?

It’s all thanks to second puberty aka transitioning. I was roughly eight months on testosterone when the idea for boobytrapped hit me; I was in a strange place where some people were perceiving me as a man, others as a woman, some as a big old question mark. Meanwhile, I was also finding myself more attracted to cis men than before (thanks hormones) and navigating some new anxieties related to that. Am I man enough to be attractive to gay men? How do gay men even flirt? And how can I even consider dating them when I’ve now seen the state of men’s public bathrooms?! Once I started talking about these worries, I realised that many of them were shared by cis men; in fact, our most unifying experience might be that all of us have at some point felt like we’re not man enough. We find fault in our bodies, our behaviour, our sense of self, and sometimes we project those insecurities outwards and try to police the people around us as well as ourselves. So I wanted to write a play about learning to accept ourselves and, through that, each other and the result is boobytrapped.

The show is described as a response to the so-called "trans debate." Why did comedy feel like the right way to approach such a serious topic?

Because the “debate” is ridiculous. Don’t get me wrong, it has resulted in very serious and devastating consequences for trans people, such as the EHRC guidance and the following ban from single sex spaces, the ban of puberty blockers for trans teenagers and new guidance that forces schools to out children to their parents. However, the arguments used are out of touch with reality, ignoring years of research and refusing to engage with actual trans people and our lived experience. So I’m hoping to make clear through the use of comedy that I have no intention of taking the “debate” and its defenders seriously, whilst simultaneously offering some levity to my community during a very difficult time.

What conversations are you hoping audiences are still having on the walk home?

How hot the Twister scene was…

What I really loved about performing my previous play F*ckboy was seeing takeaways I hadn’t expected at all, ways people managed to connect with the story that I could never have fathomed. So I hope that happens again. I hope the play inspires conversations I can’t imagine right now because each audience member will have their unique way of relating to the story and it’s not up to me to prescribe what they should take away from it. (Aside from the fact that trans people deserve human rights and dignity. If you don’t get that after watching boobytrapped, I haven’t done my job).

The play explores prejudice through misunderstanding rather than confrontation. Why was that important to you?

There are definitely some moments of confrontation, but what I was trying to show is that, in my opinion, most prejudice simply comes from a lack of information and understanding rather than actual bad intention and hatred. Yes, there are people out there who hate trans people and are actively trying to harm us and take our rights away, to push us out of public life. But they are a small (if powerful) minority. Most other people might just never have met a trans person or have only seen us represented as stereotypes or the butts of jokes. I think meeting those people where they’re at and being able to have open conversations is essential to turning the tide on the current anti-trans tirade, so that’s what I’m trying to do through my work.

How did you balance making the show accessible to audiences who may know very little about trans experiences while still feeling authentic for queer audiences?

I daresay the body swap concept lends itself to that balance really well because the two characters represent those two groups. Kevin claims to support trans people but knows very little, so finding himself in a trans body is a massive learning curve for him. Simon, on the other hand, is much more grounded in queer community which I hope is reflected in the way he talks, especially the jokes he makes. Throughout the writing process I shared versions of the script with cis and trans friends, and both accessibility and authenticity were things I was eager to get feedback on. What felt really reassuring was a cis couple telling me after Prague previews that they loved the show because whilst they learned something, ‘boobytrapped isn’t preachy, it’s just good’. I really hope our audiences in Edinburgh feel the same way.

As both writer and performer, how do you separate those two roles during rehearsals?

It genuinely feels as if I have two brains; sometimes I pick up one of my scripts as an actor and am surprised by it as if I wasn’t the one who’d spent countless hours writing it. That being said, there are also moments when I’m trying to act but my writer brain is monologing about everything wrong with the script which makes it quite tricky to be present on stage. But the more I find the character(s) I’m playing the more that voice disappears, and our director Romeo Lau has done an incredible job in helping me get there.

No Tits Theatre has built a reputation for bold, queer storytelling. What makes this company different?

Honestly, I often don’t even feel like I’m being bold enough, and I feel that to truly honour and inhabit queerness is a lifelong practice and I’m constantly looking to other practitioners to see how I can improve and do better. But, as a company, we care deeply not just about telling great stories but about creating change, making people feel less alone, practicing off-stage what we preach in our shows. And I think we all understand that queerness is inherently political as well as connected to the struggles of other minority groups, which is reflected in the work each of the No Tits members does outside the company as well. From working at Trans+ Pride to actively supporting Palestine, working with disabled people and the elderly… I genuinely think each of us is constantly looking for more ways to show up and I’m always inspired by and proud of the work my team members do.

You're performing opposite Ermis Makides. What has that creative partnership brought to the production?

It’s been an absolute nightmare; their comedy skills have me fighting for my life during every single performance. On a more serious note, I could not have asked for a better co-star for this production. I already knew Ermis was a great actor, so I was thrilled when they auditioned for boobytrapped, but I’ve been continuously impressed by the care, understanding and depth they’ve brought to the role of Simon. And yes, they’re also incredibly funny on and off the stage which is a massive bonus. I think especially after doing a one-man show, getting to share the stage with Ermis and tell this story together has been such a fun new adventure.

The show supports Waverley Care throughout its Fringe run. Why was that partnership important to everyone involved?

As I mentioned above, we don’t just care about making theatre but about creating tangible change and so collaborating with a charity has been a goal of ours for a while. Waverley Care provide advice and support for people living with or at risk of HIV and hepatitis, and information about sexual health and once we’d had a few conversations with them, we felt they were the perfect fit. Whilst boobytrapped isn’t explicitly about sexual health, it definitely is about sex, and so this collaboration feels like an extension of the play. Our audience members will get to grab an informational leaflet on their way out and leave a donation for this incredible charity if they’re able. I’m also really excited to be doing a workshop with some of Waverley Care’s service users during which we’ll explore using your lived experience to use art but keeping yourself as emotionally safe as possible in the process.

Edinburgh audiences are famous for embracing ambitious new work. What are you most excited for this August?

I just cannot wait to see a bunch of shows and spend a whole month thinking about nothing but theatre; plus seeing old friends I know from other fringes again as well as making lots of new friends too. Whilst I’ve got a list of shows I absolutely want to see already, one of the brilliant things about Edinburgh and fringes in general is finding the hidden gems, the weird and unexpected stuff that really stays with you… I much prefer the rawness and experimental vibe of a low-budget fringe show to the more mainstream stuff you find elsewhere.

Looking back, what has writing boobytrapped taught you about yourself as both an artist and a person?

That’s such a great question. boobytrapped feels deeply connected to this specific moment in my life – being mid-transition during the rollback on trans people’s human rights – and I think writing it has genuinely helped me process everything. That being said, I think one of the challenges that came with writing yet another play that was inspired by my lived experience was drawing a clear line between the play and my life. Initially, I had quite a bit of judgement for the cis character and it took several drafts and many conversations before I found the compassion and curiosity necessary to make him a three-dimensional character rather than a caricature. This also translates into a lesson for real life; allowing people to surprise you and remembering that everyone has their own struggles as well as the ability to learn and grow.

A huge thank you to Freddie for taking the time to chat with me. boobytrapped promises to be a witty, heartfelt and timely new piece of theatre that blends supernatural comedy with genuine emotional honesty, offering audiences plenty of laughs alongside thoughtful conversations about identity, empathy and human connection. Catch boobytrapped at theSpace on the Mile – Space 2 from 7th–29th August (excluding 16th & 23rd August) during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2026.