A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

Collapse

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  2f, 2m

Allison Moore

In Collapse, Hannah tries desperately to hold the façade of her perfect life together, even as her husband, David, mysteriously calls in sick to work...

Collapse

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    2f, 2m
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Teen (Age 14 - 18)

Details

Summary
In Collapse, Hannah, tries desperately to hold the façade of her perfect life together, even as her husband, David, mysteriously calls in sick to work. Day after day they struggle with infertility, and Hannah herself is on the verge of being laid off. When Hannah’s sister appears on their doorstep, she brings with her a renegade attitude and an illicit package that send David and Hannah on a 12-hour odyssey into the heart of their deepest fears. Will they survive? Will their relationship? Esteemed playwright, Allison Moore, deaftly weaves comedy into the fabric of her topical story. The economic collapse has affected Hannah and David's relationship, and Moore's comedy subversely captures the truth burried beneath the laughs. 
History
Collapse premiered at The Arurora Theatre in San Francisco in February of 2011.  
Cast Attributes
Keywords
Performing Groups
HANNAH - mid-to late 30s. An attorney. A people pleaser, and a little high strung. Trying valiantly to maintain a positive attitude about everything.
DAVID - late 30s, Hannah’s husband. Trying (sometimes successfully) to hide his crippling panic attacks.
SUSAN - mid-to-late 30s, Hannah’s sister. A renegade. After living in LA for many years, she has suddenly returned to Minneapolis.
TED - about 50. A gentleman-scholar type. Originally from Georgia. Speaks with a slight drawl.
  • Time Period Contemporary, Present Day, New Millennium/21st Century
  • Setting Spring 2009. The middle of the economic collapse. Minneapolis.
  • Features Contemporary Costumes / Street Clothes
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

"[An] incisive and very funny new comedy" - SF Examiner 

"Moore’s script... interweaves... two stories in a surprising and often affecting meditation on the randomness of loss. Call it comedy for the new Age of Anxiety." - SF Examiner 

"Moore has successfully integrated comedy with topical issues...Moore's characters come alive as real people despite the absurdist situations and coincidences that bring the plot threads to a mindful conclusion. "Collapse" is a fine examination of the many ways that economic disaster can impact real people just trying to live their lives." - Associated Press

"The laughter comes so thick and fast, it's almost astonishing how few one-liners there are. Moore skillfully builds her comedy as much from character and evolving situations as she does from jarring juxtapositions of topic and tone...allowing the poignant truths beneath the humor to take root and slowly blossom." - San Francisco Gate

Videos

  • COLLAPSE at Women's Project Theater

  • COLLAPSE Behind The Scenes Teaser

  • COLLAPSE - Aurora Theatre Company

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

Available Formats:
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Authors

Allison Moore

Allison Moore
Allison Moore is a displaced Texan based in Minneapolis. Her play, Slasher, premiered at the 2009 Humana Festival and has been produced at theaters around the country. Other plays include: My Antonia (2010 Illusion Theater), End Times (Kitchen Dog Theater), American Klepto (2 ...
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