Hysterical

Women are frequently told they are too emotional - too hysterical - to be taken seriously, to be leaders of countries and companies, to be believed when pointing to their own hurt. Hysterical challenges these myths with poetry that confronts body politics, systemic sexism, and weeping uncontrollably in the supermarket.

Witness the return of Hysterical after a sold out show in Tauranga earlier this year, as internationally acclaimed poets Carrie Rudzinski and Olivia Hall reunite after the success of their previous show How We Survive.

Rudzinski is an award-winning poet, published author, and teaching artist and Hall is a celebrated poet and performer with a Masters in Gender Studies.

Hysterical intertwines social issues and personal stories to create a performance that is both confronting and accessible, powerful and needed. By weaving their voices together in duet, Rudzinski and Hall deliver a powerhouse performance encouraging the audience to laugh, cry, and experience emotion together.

Fierce, feminist, and fulfilling, Hysterical celebrates the multitudes of women and will leave you feeling empowered and alive. Come celebrate the hysteria in all of us.

Praise for Hysterical:

"It’s a deeply raw, vulnerable show. In places the poets are near tears, fury and hurt near the surface. But Hall and Rudzinski are also very funny (because, newsflash, women are hilarious). They flick through sarcasm, wit, absurdity, asking us to eye-roll our way through the dumpster fire with them." - Flat City Field Notes

"At its core, this is a show about love – the love Rudzinski and Hall feel for others, the love others feel for them, the love they sometimes struggle to show themselves and, most of all, the love they feel for each other. Beyond the poem dedicated to their friendship, their love and support for each other drips off every moment." - Erin O'Flaherty

"We are among friends; in this safe space, we are taken to some places that make us laugh, make us wonder, and make us a little angry. As they say, 'If you’re not hysterical, then you should be!'" - Theatreview Hamilton