Collapsible Tickets

In a sea of comedies and romances, Collapsible stands out as one of the few tragedies that mirrors the charm of classics like Death of a Salesman and Hamlet. The protagonist’s eventual descent into a hell of her own making is a powerful underlying theme of the play. Yet, award-winning Irish playwright Margaret Perry also demonstrates the unrealistic demands of the modern world. In corporate environments, synthetic enthusiasm and a sickly positive attitude at all times is valued above more organic qualities. In a shocking closing twist, the play addresses the audience directly by mocking how everyone nonchalantly enjoy watching the protagonist’s life fall apart before their eyes. The on-point set and lighting design brings out the play’s grim message in a beautiful manner.

Margaret Perry, the mastermind behind this pièce de résistance, is an Irish playwright who currently resides in London. Her revolutionary ideas have been well-received by the community. She made her professional debut with a full-length play named Porcelain, which ran for 4 weeks at the famous Abbey Theatre in Dublin. She has also won much acclaim for her works like Goose Chase, Icarus, and Turf. Collapsible is her most recent work of art that won the 2019 VAULTS Festival Origins Award for Outstanding New Work. Book your tickets now and avoid missing out on this unforgettable experience!

The Story

Essie has lost her job and broken up with her girlfriend, but she prefers to believe that she is doing fine. Inside, however, she is disintegrating. In her attempt to come up with an acceptable personality for job interviews, Essie takes countless Buzzfeed personality quizzes and asks her family and friends for terms that would aptly describe her. It is soon apparent that she has lost all notions of who she truly is.

With every quiz she takes, Essie grows more insecure, fuming at the ridiculous list of buzzwords that interviewers expect her to spout. She is left alone and with nowhere to go when her ex questions her ability to do anything without the support of their relationship. It is haunting to see Essie’s rage morph into acceptance and heartbreak.

Good for

Lovers of Tragedies | Adult Audiences

Critics Reviews

“On display like a bust in a museum, Breffni Holahan is superb in this Beckettian monologue by Margaret Perry.”

– The Guardian