HOTTER Project and Ellie Keel Productions announce Life of Bi, a new 8-episode podcast series about the history of bisexuality in art and culture, written and performed by Mary Higgins and Ell Potter, with guests including Adjoa Andoh, Blu del Barrio, Lani Ka’ahumanu, and Patrick Califia. The first episode is available from Monday 14 June on Spotify and Apple Music.
Are we living in a bisexual renaissance? From Ancient Chinese legends to the queer TikTok scene, this podcast explores what it really means to be a modern bisexual.
Mary Higgins and Ell Potter today said, “We are SO PSYCHED to release Life of Bi! It’s been 8 months in the making and we’re really proud of (and surprised by!) the historical-confessional-docucomedy we’ve ended up birthing. There’s much more to bisexuality than meets the eye, and not all of it is sexy…”
Life of Bi is written, created and hosted by Ell Potter and Mary Higgins, sound design, music and production by Tom Foskett-Barnes, research by Eve Brandon, Robin Craig, Ell Potter and Mary Higgins; and graphic design by Madison Coby. It is produced by Ellie Keel.
The full line up for the first series of the podcast is:
Episode 1
ctrl+f bi
Featuring Adjoa Andoh, Blu del Barrio, and Tabby Lamb
What’s in a name? We dive back in time to meet Thomas/ine Hall in 1629 and into Ariana Grande’s rooftop pool, to quench our thirst for a neatly labelled sexuality.
Episode 2:
in black & white
Featuring Christian Nduwayo and Professor Marc Epprecht
Who gets to tell our story? From Mugabe to mine marriages – we find out why bisexuals are so often hidden from view. And why British colonialism has so much to answer for.
Episode 3
on the down low
Featuring Dr. Marcus Patterson and Christian Nduwayo
Why all the secrecy? During the AIDS crisis, bisexuals became “the bogeyman” and many had to stay underground.
Episode 4
going viral
Featuring Daz Elborn, Connie Chong, and Jess Ensley.
Are we like, trendy now?! Bisexual TikTokers get millions of likes for bi-themed dances and songs, but is it really a queer utopia free from shame?
Episode 5
octopus
Featuring Samantha Sun
A mini-sode about porn and octopuses.
Episode 6
leaping lesbians
Featuring Patrick Califia
Ever heard of the Lesbian Sex Wars? The 1970s were rife with separatist lesbians telling people who and how they should fuck. But the bisexuals weren’t listening. Strap up and strap on, it’s about to get kinky.
Episode 7
f*ck the pie
Featuring Lani Ka’ahumanu
How do you measure a bi? From 1900s sexologists to Buzzfeed quizzes, trying to quantify queerness is a cultural obsession. But we have an antidote to the madness: meet the Mother of Bisexuality, Lani Ka’ahumanu.
Episode 8
möbius
Featuring Blu del Barrio
The best goodbyes are short and sweet. Featuring Blu del Barrio, Star Trek, and a mathematician called Möbius.
Founded in May 2019, Ellie Keel Productions specialises in commissioning, developing, and producing new plays of the highest quality. Their award-winning work is presented in London, at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and across the UK and internationally. They work with top-flight writers, directors and creative teams to make shows that audiences enjoy and remember.
Mary Higgins and Ell Potter are a writing & performing duo whose debut theatre show HOTTER premièred at the Edinburgh Fringe and went onto a sold out run at Soho Theatre. Their second show, FITTER, premièred at Soho Theatre in December 2019. Their first audio play Lem N Ginge, starring Sharon D. Clarke as the narrator, was released in 2020 and is available to listen to on podcast platforms such as Apple and Spotify.
