Collapsible, a funny, furious new monologue about holding on in this collapsing world opens at the Bush Theatre on 5 February (press night 7 February). Winner of the Origins Award for Outstanding New Work at VAULT Festival 2019, The Stage Edinburgh Award, Best Performer at Dublin Fringe (for performer Breffni Holahan) and Fishamble New Writing Award at Dublin Fringe, Collapsible is a show for anyone who has ever felt crumbly.

Essie’s lost her job. Her girlfriend’s left. But she’s alright. Except lately she feels more like a chair than a person. One of those folding chairs. Solid one minute. And then….

Margaret Perry is a playwright from Cork. Her debut play Porcelain was picked from the unsolicited script submissions pile and produced by the Abbey Theatre, Dublin, in February 2018. She subsequently adapted the play for BBC Radio 4, where it was shortlisted for Best Audio Drama at the Prix Marulic 2019. Her second play Collapsible won an Origin Award for Outstanding New Work at Vault Festival 2019. It was a best of the festival pick in the Guardian, The Stage and Evening Standard for its Edinburgh run co-produced by HighTide and Ellie Keel Productions and it won the Fishamble New Writing Award at Dublin Fringe 2019. Her play Every Little was highly commended in Soho Theatre's Tony Craze Award 2019 for innovation in theatrical form and she was a member the Royal Court Supergroup 2019, led by Alice Birch and Alistair McDowell. She is currently under commission at the Bush Theatre and The Yard Theatre.

Thomas Martin is a director based between London and Dublin. In 2020, his production of John O’Donovan’s Flights will play Clapham Omnibus in London after an Irish tour. Previous work includes Ross & Rachel (Edinburgh Fringe, 59E59 New York, BAC, UK Tour); If We Got Some More Cocaine I Could Show You How I Love You (Old Red Lion, Project Arts Centre, Glor Ennis, Mick Lally Galway, VAULT Festival); Sink (Smock Alley); Lad (New Theatre Dublin); Siren (Edinburgh Fringe, VAULT Festival); Bromley, Bedlam, Bethlehem (Old Red Lion); and Followers (Southwark Playhouse). Work with young people and non-professionals includes Sing Before You Speak Again (Young Vic Taking Part), Talk Me Down (Cambridge Junction Young Company), and Auto-play (White City Youth Theatre / Bush Theatre). He trained on the National Theatre's Directors Course, was a finalist for the JMK Award, and curates Beta Public, London's only night of theatre and video games.

Breffni Holahan’s recent theatre credits include Collapsible (Ellie Keel Productions and High Tide), for which she was awarded The Stage Edinburgh Award for Acting Excellence 2019 and Best Performer at Dublin Fringe 2019, Drama at Inish (director Cal McCrystal for The Abbey Theatre), Chekhov’s First Play (Dead Centre at Battersea Arts Centre), Everything Not Saved and LOVE+ (both Breffni’s own co-devised work with her company MALAPROP at New Diorama Theatre and HOME), and Nina’s Got News (Frank Skinner for BBC and Avalon). Other theatre credits include work with Collapsing Horse, Brokentalkers, Anu Productions, Rough Magic, and THEATREclub. Her recent screen credits include Vikings (MGM for The History Channel), The Racer (Blinder Films), and Everything Not Saved (RTE).

Ellie Keel Productions in association with Bush Theatre presents
COLLAPSIBLE
(originally co-produced with High Tide)
Written by Margaret Perry
Directed by Thomas Martin
Designed by Alison Neighbour
Lighting Design by Alex Fernandes
Sound Design by Jon McLeod
Performed by Breffni Holahan

5 February – 14 March
Press Night – 7 February at 7pm
Captioned Performance – 20 February at 7.45pm
Audio Described Performance – 7 March at 2.45pm

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