Diary of a Mad Man at Assembly Roxy, Roxyboxy (Venue 139)

Adapted from Nikolai Gogol's 1835 farcical short story and transported to contemporary Ireland, this darkly comic and absurd one-man drama traces the psychological collapse of a corporate worker whose failure at promotion breeds a lethal obsession with race hierarchy and his CEO's daughter. The production replaces traditional diary entries with projected Instagram reels, tracking the protagonist's increasing follower count as he descends into paranoia and rage in pursuit of viral validation. Set within a mental asylum, the play uses high-energy physicality and direct audience interaction to highlight a vicious cycle of digital radicalisation. Written by Derek Masterson and directed and performed by Mark McAuley, the show critiques society's failure to provide sufficient mental health support in an increasingly volatile digital landscape.