Heartbreak Hotel
HEARTBREAK HOTEL
BY ELEANOR BISHOP & KARIN MCCRACKEN
WRITTEN BY KARIN MCCRACKEN
““One of the best productions I’ve seen this year... a tender-hearted exemplar of what can be accomplished when creative stagecraft meets authentic, measured storytelling.””
““I defy even the coldest cynic to resist the aching charm of this unapologetically tender two-hander. Hijacks your nervous system and fast-tracks its way into your soul.””
This one is for the young hearts, the old hearts, and the broken hearts. 🏩
Story, science and a synth combine in an exhilarating performance that examines what happens in our bodies when we’re bereft. From acclaimed New Zealand company EBKM, Heartbreak Hotel tracks a woman’s broken heart in a wrenching and relatable journey that’s studded with classic break-up songs and razor-sharp observations on the physiology of love.
Fresh from smash-hit shows at RISING Festival in Melbourne, Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and a national tour of Aotearoa New Zealand, Heartbreak Hotel is headed to Soho Theatre London in August 2025.
Enjoy a hilarious, honest take on a universal human experience, and leave feeling all the better for it.
““Seamlessly directed and performed...Heartbreak Hotel offers the balm of warmth and authenticity, using a melange of cabaret, stand-up, and the brisk intimacy of a theatrical two-hander, to transform the ineffable mess of life into art.””
Photo by Andi Crown
“With razor-sharp writing and masterfully naturalistic acting, EBKM creates an awe-inspiring, cathartic performance on heartbreak and loss.”
AWARDS
Actor of Year (Karin McCracken) Wellington Theatre Awards 2024
Sound Design of the Year (Te Aihe Butler) Wellington Theatre Awards 2024
PRESENTATIONS
Hawkes Bay Arts Festival, 26 October 2023
Q Theatre, 28 November - 2 December 2023
Taranaki Arts Festival, 13 June 2024
BATS Theatre Wellington, 18 - 23 June 2024
Edinburgh Festival Fringe at Summerhall, 1 - 26 August 2024
RISING Festival, Arts Centre Melbourne, 10-22 June 2025
Photo by Andi Crown
““A beautifully constructed piece, performed with humour and intelligence.””
Photo by Andi Crown
CREATIVE TEAM
Created by Eleanor Bishop & Karin McCracken
Performers - Karin McCracken & Simon Leary
Written by Karin McCracken
Director - Eleanor Bishop
Production & Light Designers - Filament Eleven 11
Sound Designer - Te Aihe Bulter
Stage Manager - Natasha Thyne
Producer - Melanie Hamilton
The development of Heartbreak Hotel was supported by Creative New Zealand, Hawkes Bay Arts Festival, Hannah Playhouse Trust, Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, and Playmarket. Q season supported by Waipapa Taumata Rau, The University of Auckland.