IT is the acclaimed Scottish play which earned the scorn of Brazil's new right-wing leader, Jair Bolsonaro.

Now The Gospel According to Jesus Queen of Heaven, which has endured bans, attack and protest in its two years of touring in Brazil, is to be performed again in Scotland next month.

Jo Clifford, the Edinburgh-based writer and star of the play - which was also the subject of protests when it premiered at Glasgow's Tron Theatre ten years ago - says it is now too dangerous to perform the play in Brazil.

Bolsonaro, who has made a string of homophobic comments, tweeted comments against the play in June.

READ MORE: Review of The Gospel According To Jesus Queen Of Heaven

The play, which played before thousands in its production in Brazil, is a monologue that portrays Jesus as a transgender woman.

On 30 June, Bolsonaro tweeted of the play, which was part of the Garanhuns Festival, said: “Who is interested in portraying the image of Christ as a transsexual? Is that freedom of expression? Is it art? And culture? Our repudiation and protest. God save Brazil."

At the weekend, the former army captain won the presidential election in one of the world's largest countries with more than 55% of the vote.

He has in the past defended the killing of opponents and said he was in favour of dictatorship.

After his win, Bolsonaro said he would be a "defender of democracy."

Clifford, a lauded trans writer, performer and playwright, is now preparing for a new production of the play, which will run at the Traverse Theatre in Edinburgh in December, said that Bolsonaro's win was "awful news".

READ MORE: Jo Clifford, 'one of the greatest writers of the queer gospel'

She said: "I was there about ten days ago and everyone was very frightened and depressed but determined to keep fighting.

"The fact that it has happened now is just horrible news, there's no way of saying anything else."

Clifford added: "Many, many people will be suffering and be very afraid: black people will be afraid, poor people will be afraid, LGBT people will be afraid, and trans people will be terrified, and women will be afraid: because he is against everyone, really, who is not white and male, he is a horrible man.

"He won by telling lies."

The production in Brazil was directed by Natalia Mello, and starred Renata Carvalho in the title role.

The play had been threatened by court orders in several locations, including in Jundiaí, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte, Salvador and Garanhuns, and there have been threats of physical violence to the production and Ms Carvalho.

At one point, a bomb was thrown into the play's performance space, Clifford said.

The plays troubles came against the backdrop of killings of transgender people in Brazil, with more than 170 killed last year and more than 95 killings in 2018.

Of the Bolsonaro tweet, Clifford said: "It was a very scary moment, it happened just about to show it in Rio, where it had been banned by the mayor.

"Of course his election makes it impossible to put on for the foreseeable future.

"It has been touring continuously in Brazil for the last two years, it has been seen by many thousands of people and sells out wherever it goes: I think it speaks very deeply to people."

She added: "I know very directly now the effect of the play, and its important: many trans people in Brazil have come up to me and said the importance that play has to them."

READ MORE: A question and answer session with Jo Clifford

Natalia Mallo, director of the Brazilian production, said: "Even before Brazil's political turn toward an uncertain future, where the most fearsome politicians can come to power, Queen Jesus has already put down the masks of oppressive conservatism and the excluding elitism of the cultural sector.

"Her message transformed the Brazilian theatre by placing an oppressed body into the spotlight through Jo Clifford's excellent and moving words.

"The play attracted censorship and violence, but it was also rewarded and celebrated by tens of thousands of people, an immense public support bringing hope and embracing all the marginalised identities of Brazil.

"The work will never be forgotten in Brazil, and its existence remains as a glimpse of light in dark times."

The play, after its run in Edinburgh, is likely to tour to more international venues.

Clifford said: "I would be very frightened going back to Brazil now, but at the same time, I think it would be very important to go, it would be too dangerous to present 'Jesus', but it would be important to present [another of her plays] 'Eve', because it is a very gentle reminder of what it is to be trans in human terms, and it is a very powerful statement against anti-trans prejudice.

"We have had an invitation, let's see what happens."

Susan Worsfold, who will director the play in Scotland, said: “Everywhere we perform this play we create a ritual that encompasses the world.

"We create a safe space in which everyone, whatever their gender and sexuality, can celebrate who they are and who their neighbour is, too."

Ms Mallo added: "Every single banning order has been reversed, on the grounds that they are anti constitutional.

"Every time attempts have been made to censor it, the forces of censorship have come out of the process demoralised, defeated and denounced by important sectors of society, including lawyers, academics, theologians, members of the artistic community, and international cultural and human rights organisations."

The play will run at the Traverse from 13-22 December.