Critically acclaimed tragi-comedy Split Ends is transferring to Melbourne's Motley Bauhaus from 6-10 January, bringing its unconventional love story about a woman and a vacuum cleaner to Carlton.
The autobiographical solo show from writer, director and performer Claudia Shnier follows Claudia, a woman consumed by her split ends who falls in love with a vacuum cleaner. Using physical theatre, puppetry and multimedia, Split Ends explores coercive control, addiction and abusive power disguised as love, drawing on Shnier’s own experiences to examine when we are meticulously in control or incredibly out of it.
The production arrives in Melbourne following runs at Brighton Fringe, Camden Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe, where it picked up five-star reviews and critical acclaim. The hour-long show has been described as a Sarah Kane rave, blending dark subject matter with inventive theatricality to tell a story about the cycle of toxic relationships and the difficulty of walking away from people who hurt us.
Split Ends
- When: 6-10 January, 7pm
- Where: The Motley Bauhaus – Theatrette, 118 Elgin Street, Carlton
- Tickets: $30 general admission, $25 concession, $15 First Nations
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Shnier has spoken about the deeply personal nature of the work, describing it as incredibly healing and empowering to give voice to an experience she wasn’t able to for a long time. The show uses the extended metaphor of split ends and shedding hair to explore the endless cycle of cutting ties with someone only to find yourself back where you started.
The Motley Bauhaus in Carlton has become a home for independent theatre and experimental performance since opening its doors. The venue continues to champion bold, boundary-pushing work from emerging and established artists alike, making it a fitting home for Shnier’s raw exploration of love and control.
Split Ends runs for one hour and is recommended for all ages, though the show contains scenes of a sexual nature and references to sexual assault and mental illness.
For more information, head here.
