Preview: Split Ends @ Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

Claudia Shnier brings her blisteringly honest one‑woman show Split Ends to Alphabetti Theatre on 13th–14th May, as part of a wider UK tour following award‑nominated Fringe runs and a sold‑out stint across Australia. A sharp, unsettling tragi‑comedy, the show tears into coercive control, OCD and the slow erosion of self‑trust with a mix of physical theatre, puppetry and pitch‑black humour — all anchored by Shnier’s magnetic performance and a vacuum cleaner that becomes both lover and threat.

Rooted in her own experiences, Split Ends tracks the dizzying cycle of charm, confusion and emotional whiplash that defines psychologically abusive relationships. It’s raw, inventive and uncomfortably recognisable, which is exactly why NHS clinicians have invited Shnier to perform the piece in hospitals to spark conversations around abuse and mental health. The show has already struck a nerve at Brighton, Edinburgh and Camden Fringe, where its mix of intimacy, chaos and dark wit earned critical acclaim and a Best New Show nomination.