Forbidden!

Forbidden! is a remarkable and surprisingly modern drama from 1922 that explores love, identity, and the suffocating expectations of family and society. Set within the seemingly respectable home of an upper-middle-class family, long-buried truths begin to surface as one son’s hidden life forces those around him to confront their own prejudices, fears, and capacity for acceptance. Banned and forgotten for decades because of its groundbreaking portrayal of homosexuality, Forbidden! is a moving, courageous, and historically significant work that speaks to audiences today with extraordinary relevance, reminding us that the struggle to live honestly is timeless.

Written by a German woman named Jo M Van Ijssel de Schepper-Becker, Forbidden! premiered in Germany in 1922 under the title, Wat Niet Mag.

It played two performances and then was banned for being too progressive. Laurence Senelick has translated it to English.