A vicariously cathartic experience McCracken takes us on the journey of body and mind. Discussing the complexity of emotions, changes and stages of a broken heart. If you’ve experienced it or not the performance takes you through every turn, crack and wind in the road of Lonely Street to Heartbreak Hotel.

Throughout the show McCracken (writer and actor) balances the scientific information with comical skits perfectly. Did you know singing helps lower stress levels? Or that after following a serious break up you are more likely to catch a virus due to your body entering flight fight or freeze mode? Or that any sense of logic is non-existent? McCracken discusses both physiological changes we feel and physiological aspects the body blocks. She draws from her own experience to explain the process, which creates an engaging and informative journey, the added layer of transparency is open and honest establishing a sense of trust and connection. The humour adds an extra layer of entertainment for the audience such as when McCracken and Simon Leary (actor) give it their all, acting and dancing out friendly encounters at a gay club in Berlin. McCracken builds a strong engagement through her comical commentary of her own story as it unfolds, drawing many laughs from the audience.

The show’s set design is minimal consisting of just a fluffy pink rug, which does well to establish the femininity of Karin as the protagonist. Rectangle tiered lights in a semi-circle encompassing the stage displaying the topics and setting for each phase of the show. Phrases such as “Welcome to Heartbreak Hotel” “getting back into dating” “one last pass” and “the science” are effective in constructing the context of each phase of heartbreak as they illuminate the stage throughout the show. Each phase is explained and performed for easy understanding and learning.

Additionally, the clever transitions of the titles either stopping, or sliding forward or backwards cleverly reflect the time, emotion or switch between scientific talk and comedic skits, which greatly enhances understanding for the audience and adds to the complexity of the show’s emotions.  

Within the show the direction and space of McCracken and Simon Leary was well used to convey the different emotions of the journey within each phase, such as proximity between characters in “one last pass” or lying on the floor following an emotional encounter.  The music too assisted with this, with iconic songs by Elvis Presley, Celine Dion and the real heavy hitters setting the mood and evoking deep emotions. They were performed exceptionally and with all the right emotion by McCracken and her six notes on the synth board.

Simon Leary did a fantastic job in his many roles as a doctor, friend, ex-boyfriend, date and commentator throughout the show; however, I could have loved to see costumes utilised more, costume changes for characters could have been employed to clearly demonstrate the shifts between personas and add clearer characterisation.

A very enjoyable watch, diving deep into the effects of heartbreak, explanations and even tips to get through it, for example when people say that “it gets better” what they actually mean is that things change, and you learn to become okay with that change. As many of us navigate the ups and downs of life and have experienced heartbreak or will experience heartbreak it is a spectacular performance which explains the unexplainable experience of having a broken heart.