Dark surreal comedy 'The Extraordinary Life of a Rat Racer' announces London Pub Theatre Tour
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Ever wondered what the person next to you is thinking?
After a successful run at the Barons Court Theatre as part of the Voilà Theatre Festival, The Extraordinary Life of a Rat Racer, the two-hander dark surreal comedy that explores the consequences of trauma, is back with a tour of London pub theatres – including The Bread & Roses Theatre, the Etcetera Theatre, and The Bridge House Theatre.
Eva is just a regular rat racer. Single mother to a 6-year-old boy, she is stuck in a world that keeps punching her down, and is desperately trying to play the game – pay the bills, get him to football, try to survive mum’s comments. But her mind has different plans. On her way to an important job interview, Eva gets bombarded by a series of ever-worsening intrusive thoughts.
So prepare for the uncomfortable and dive into Eva’s mind. Guided by Arthur, a grotesque, sadistic, half-real figure, The Extraordinary Life of a Rat Racer brings audiences on a journey where violent thoughts, trauma and self-hatred meet self-acceptance and empowerment.
The play is highly interactive, with Arthur almost continuously breaking the 4th wall, providing the missing link between Eva’s brain and the audience. The show also relies on the use of balloons and balloon popping, both of which serve as multi-faceted metaphors for the instantness and irreversibility of trauma and pressures building up, as well as physical stand-ins for the people Eva meets on her commute.
Talking about how the show came to fruition, writer and producer Chiara Fumanti says:
“I wanted the show to live on two realms. I wanted to have reality – which is the protagonist on the train, just going about her day – and the reality of what’s going on in her brain, which although is not real to people around her, is very real to her. I wanted to have this duality; to give the audience the chance to go in and out of her brain.”
She continues:
“There is, thankfully, a lot of talk and awareness around mental health at the moment. However, somewhere along the way there’s been a glamourisation of various mental health disorders, which has resulted in the loss of some of their grittiness, real ugliness, and authenticity.”
The Extraordinary Life of a Rat Racer aims to scratch way below the surface and show the ugliest, deepest parts of a person, those that are often concealed out of shame or fear of judgement – both by the outside world and by the person themselves. More importantly, it highlights the normality of those parts, the ordinariness of horrible thoughts, and therefore aims to empower those who might feel at a loss in the battle against themselves.
About the team Stage Leftovers is an emerging duo founded by Italian actors and theatre-makers Chiara Fumanti and Andrea Guerini. The company is born out of an idea that has been brewing for a few years: that of creating an “accent-blind theatre”, a space in which migrant actors and creatives can feel represented by playing characters which just happen to be from somewhere out of the English-speaking world, instead of being relegated to niche work because of their accent.
The company aims to help create an industry that gives more opportunities to performers whose first language is not English, pushes for inclusivity and innovation, and reflects the multi-cultural society in which we live. The Extraordinary Life of a Rat Racer is their first project, with a goal to bring it to Edinburgh in 2026.
Chiara Fumanti (Writer/Eva) draws from her own experience and culture, focusing on displacement, mental health, and the fine line between fiction and reality. Chiara trained in Musical Theatre before achieving an MA in Creative Writing in 2022. Previous acting credits include Sweeney Todd (Edinburgh Fringe) and Pinocchio (UK & Ireland tour).
Andrea Guerini (Director/Arthur) has performed and studied around the globe, including Belgium, Spain, Hungary, Norway, USA, and Canada, where he won “Best Supporting Actor” at the Liverpool International Theatre Festival in 2024. This production marks his directing debut.
Cast & Creative Team Eva: Chiara Fumanti Arthur: Andrea Guerini Writer: Chiara Fumanti Director: Andrea Guerini Lighting Designer: Francesco Angeloni / Andrea Guerini Sound Designer: Andrea Guerini Producer: Chiara Fumanti Assistant Producer: Garth Oates Marketing Photography: Agnieszka Konarska
Listings Information
The Bread & Roses Theatre 24th – 28th February 2026, 7pm 68 Clapham Manor Street, SW4 6DZ Tickets: £15 (£10 concessions) Booking Link here
Etcetera Theatre 7th March (1pm), 8th March (3pm), 9th March (7pm), 10th March (9pm) 265 Camden High Street, NW1 7BU Booking Link here
The Bridge House Theatre 21st – 25th April 2026, 7.30pm 2 High Street, Penge, SE20 8RZ Booking Link here
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