Crazing by Karli Evans

Travel through generations of women's stories in this powerful theatrical work set within a fictional Darlinghurst hotel room.

Blending history, drama and humour, Crazing follows a contemporary woman whose experience becomes intertwined with those who came before her. Through compelling storytelling and memorable characters, the performance explores resilience, identity and the enduring impact of women who challenged expectations and helped shape Australian society.

Artist statement

Four women. One hotel room. Decades apart.  

Each arrives searching for refuge. Each discovers leaving comes at a cost. 

Women have been checking into this Darlinghurst hotel room for generations, searching for refuge from a world that wasn't built for them.  

When ambitious project manager Aila Driscoll arrives to oversee the building's demolition, a crippling endometriosis flare traps her inside the very room she's been sent to erase. As her wife goes into labour, Aila comes face to face with the women who sought refuge there before her.  

From pioneering politician Mary Moore-Bentley and society rebel Molly Fink to fearless sex worker activist Angie Sage, Crazing uncovers the hidden fractures in Australia's history through the lives of women who changed it. Funny, haunting and historically grounded, this acclaimed one-woman play blends ghost story with Australian history to ask a timely question: after more than a century of women fighting to be heard, how much has really changed? 

Shortlisted for Best in Theatre at Sydney Fringe 2024 and praised in reviews, the acclaimed one-woman play Crazing (formerly Escape Room) returns for a new season. 

Audience guide:

Mature themes, coarse language

Your Story – A women's writing workshop 

Join award-winning writers Karli Evans and Kerrie Simon-Lawrence, at ‘Your Story’, a supportive 3-hour workshop guiding women who were ‘around before the internet’ through core writing techniques to turn life experiences into personal memoirs. The workshop will be held on Sunday 25 October, 10.30am-1.30pm at The Oxford Hotel – 134 Oxford St, Darlinghurst.

Artist bio:

Karli is one half of Escape Artists productions. She’s an actor and writer with over 20 years’ experience in film and theatre, staging work in Australia, the UK and the US. She creates accessible, research-driven performances grounded in historical and real-life events. Her site-specific work The Female Factory used convict women’s stories to engage Parramatta audiences, while Our Shop invited Newcastle locals to exchange social media updates for real interview-based stories. Karli also co-created the verbatim piece MotherLode, weaving together women’s lived experiences. Her background in participatory and community-focused theatre ensures she brings both creative leadership and deep storytelling experience to this project.