The Extraordinary Life of a Rat Racer at Barons Court Theatre

Ever wondered what the person next to you is thinking?

Pulled earrings. Slit wrists. Chopped veins. T-rex arms.

Eva is just a regular rat racer. Single mother to a 6-year-old boy, she is stuck in a world that keeps punching her down, and is desperately trying to play the game – pay the bills, get him to football, try to survive mum’s comments.

But her mind has different plans. On her way to an important job interview, Eva gets bombarded by a series of ever-worsening intrusive thoughts.

So prepare for the uncomfortable and dive into Eva’s mind. Guided by Arthur, a grotesque, sadistic, half-real figure, The Extraordinary Life of a Rat Racer brings audiences on a journey where violent thoughts, trauma and self-hatred meet self-acceptance and empowerment. The play is highly interactive, with Arthur almost continuously breaking the 4th wall, providing the missing link between Eva’s brain and the audience. The show also relies on the use of balloons and balloon popping, both of which serve as multi-faceted metaphors for the instantness and irreversibility of trauma and pressures building up, as well as physical stand-ins for the people Eva meets on her commute.

The Extraordinary Life of a Rat Racer is a two-hander surreal drama that explores the consequences of trauma without glamourising or demonising them, but instead aiming to accept them and have a better relationship with them.

The Extraordinary Life of a Rat Racer debuts at the Barons Court Theatre as part of the Voilà Festival 2025 on 13th and 14th November at 7.30pm.

Creative team:

Writer – Chiara Fumanti

Director – Andrea Guerini

Lighting Designer – Francesco Angeloni

Sound Designer – Andrea Guerini

Producer – Chiara Fumanti

Assistant Producer – Garth Oates

Marketing Photography – Agnieszka Konarska

Marketing Manager - Chiara Fumanti

Social Media Manager – Chiara Fumanti

Content warnings: Violent and graphic language, loud noises, swearing, flashing lights, suicidal references, balloon popping.