Double Act

When a man takes the day off work and travels to the West Sussex coast with the intention of ending his life, he shifts back and forth between interactions with his boss, mum, ex-girlfriend and various strangers, grappling with his warring thoughts as he confronts the crushing disappointment at how his life has turned out.

Inspired by sad clowns such as Pierrot and classic comedy double acts like Laurel and Hardy, the two competing sides of the protagonist’s personality argue back and forth, with one desperate to reach the final destination, and the other finding reasons to delay what is looming. Mixing clowning with physical comedy, dark humour and classic drama, Double Act explores destructive self-talk and the redemptive power of listening.

DOUBLE ACT debuted at the Lion & Unicorn in January 2024. It sold-out the entire run, earned universal critical acclaim, won an OffCom award and was a finalist for the ‘Standing Ovation’ award. We’re currently in our second week at Southwark Playhouse and are thrilled by the reception so far.