Performer Hasena Bibi divides her time between Zurich and London, taking her work around round Switzerland and the UK. Her solo performance in True Spirit Pathway comes to Golden Goose Theatre straight after a run at Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

LPT: We have lots of questions for you, firstly about the show itself. How did you come across True Spirit Pathway by prize-winning author Richard Toye?

Hasena Bibi: I met Richard Toye at a playwriting course run by Close Encounters Theatre in Zurich during the pandemic. We often read each other’s plays in these groups, and I always enjoyed reading his. Richard pitched me the idea of writing a stage play for one actor on the topic of unrequited love, obsession and cult and asked me if I was interested. I jumped at the chance!

LPT: It’s a very thought-provoking play. Please tell us a little about the story and why you particularly wanted to play the role.

HB: True Spirit Pathway is a dark and tragic comedy about a woman who gets caught up in a love scam. It was inspired by a real-world situation and tells the story of Jodi who is duped into believing that a relative stranger is her ‘true spirit match’. The more he rejects her, the more the cult compels her to pursue him, leading to some extreme and shocking - but also funny situations as the drama unfolds.

Topics like cults and scams are often dismissed as niche and extreme but the subtle ways in which power is wielded over the most vulnerable - especially via the internet - are so pervasive and relevant. It’s not talked about enough. I also wanted to challenge myself as an actor. Richard’s character Jodi is complex, very human and not always easy to like - it’s given me a real opportunity to stretch myself.

LPT: When and where did you premiere the show?

HB: We premiered True Spirit Pathway at the Edinburgh Fringe back in 2023. We’ve returned to the Fringe for a second run this summer, before our date at London’s Golden Goose Theatre.

LPT: How did it all pan out at Edinburgh Fringe? We’ve heard all sorts of horror stories, such as no audiences or it’s dreadfully expensive, or it’s impossible to get reviewed. What was your experience?

HB: I completely underestimated what I signed up for at the Fringe in 2023, but I’m glad I did because I might not have done it otherwise. Competing against 4,000+ shows for 50 minutes of someone’s undivided attention felt like the toughest, most brutal real-life MBA. It was hard, we had to change tactics a few days in, but we got what we wanted out of it. That’s the key, really: being absolutely clear on what you want out of it. And don’t compare yourself to the many other companies you meet there - that’s a surefire way to get derailed. I have huge respect for anyone that does the Edinburgh Fringe. You have to be so resourceful. But there is also something romantic about starting at such a grassroots level. It’s a place where dreams are made.

LPT: You had some glowing audience reviews: ‘Mesmerising performance’;

‘Beautifully crafted and thought-provoking play’ and ‘Funny, shocking, sexy and disturbing’. It is perhaps validation as you’ve self-directed, which seems like a brave choice. Has the show changed since your first performance?

HB: It naturally just ‘sets’ over time. Starting off at the Fringe meant we got very used to the minimalistic set and the quick changes, and it all seems to have gotten smoother. On a technical level, sometimes things don’t go as planned but I secretly love those moments that call for spontaneity, and I just play with it.

LPT: We’re also interested to know more about your development as a performer. Please could you tell us a little about your training.

HB: I did the bulk of my training at Morley College in Waterloo, where I was part of The Acting Company for years. It is still a very special place for me. The founder Lilian Baylis, and what she has accomplished, inspires me daily. I also spent a couple of years at City Lit, which offers so many different courses.

I live in Zurich now, where I have enjoyed 1-2-1 Meisner training. But mostly, I prefer to look at ‘work’ and ‘living’ as ongoing training. I see a lot of value in reading and writing plays, poetry and listening to people’s stories.

LPT: What was your first introduction to professional theatre?

HB: I grew up in Kennington. I didn’t realise how fortunate I was at the time, but throughout my youth, I got to do free theatre workshops and I received free tickets to Oval House Theatre (now Brixton House) as well as The Young Vic and The Old Vic in Waterloo. My first introduction to professional acting was as a schoolgirl in the late ‘90s performing in Treasure Island at The Young Vic.

LPT: What are the best pieces of advice that have helped you in your career so far?

HB: A playwright once told me to act as if the audience is 10 times smarter than me. When you have that thought in your head, you just stop ‘acting’.

LPT: How have you changed as a performer since your training and what has given you the most confidence?

HB: There is no substitute for getting out there in front of an audience. They’re your best teacher. I am also a big advocate for spontaneity and not setting everything in stone. I believe impulse on stage should be honoured. Sometimes it doesn’t work out, but other times magic happens - and that makes it a risk worth pursuing.

LPT: We’re also interested in cultural contrasts. Have you found that there are big differences in audiences in Switzerland and UK?

HB: The cultural differences have helped me a lot. In particular, performing for audiences where English is not their native language has taken me to a new place. Because it is about the energy. The audience should still be able to follow the play whether they catch every word or not. I often watch plays in languages I am not fluent in because I want to feel it. The part that worries me the most is whether the jokes will land. But really, that depends on the audience, irrespective of culture. It can vary night to night in the same city.

LPT: How familiar are you with Golden Goose Theatre and the Camberwell area? What particularly interested you in working in this space?

HB: Performing here is like coming back to my childhood. I grew up in nearby Kennington. I have a lot of respect for what Michael Kingsbury has done for the pub theatre scene in the area. And his balls for opening this place at a time when lots of pub theatres were closing.

LPT: Finally, what are you most looking forward to sharing with London audiences?

HB: We are looking forward to inciting a discussion. And to leaving a lasting impression.