“Our mothers birthed these voices / sharp enough for protest marches / strong enough to spit No / soft enough to apologise. Hysterical is so far from the worst thing you could call us.”

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 reunion of internationally acclaimed poets Carrie Rudzinski and Olivia Hall, 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 How We Survive: 
“If you’ve ever wanted to feel empowered, heartbroken, and loved all at once, then Olivia Hall and Carrie Rudzinski‘s How We Survive is the show for you!” – 13th Floor 

“Successfully falling short of perfection, Hall and Rudzinski have created a near-masterpiece of imperfection – a window into the specific worlds of two women, raw flaws on show, unabashed and rightfully unapologetic.” – Theatre Scenes

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Please arrive at least 15 minutes before show start time. Latecomers admitted into the theatre at Basement's discretion. No refunds will be given. 

$15 and $20 Basement Mates tickets available for this event. Find out more about Basement Mates here.

Hysterical addresses rape culture and sexual violence.