Diary of a Madman

Poprischin is an office clerk who believes himself to be a great man Others do not agree. Frustrated by work and tortured by a growing obsession for his boss’s beautiful daughter, his profound and often absurd diary entries chronicle his descent into madness. He becomes difficult at work; difficult at home. Poprischin's unravelling mind leads him to believe that talking, letter-writing dogs are conspiring against him and that he will be anointed on Clapham Common.

Gogol’s dark, comic and moving short story is adapted for the stage and transported to present day London.

Nikolai Gogol was born on 01 April 1809 in a village in the Ukraine, and died on 04 March 1852 in Moscow. Despite his short life he wrote stories, plays and one novel that made him famous throughout the world, and his popularity endures. His work combines comedy, absurdity and tragedy, and he stands at the head of a vital strain of Russian literature.

His best known plays are The Government Inspector and Marriage, but many of his short stories have been adapted for the stage countless times as they are eminently theatrical.

Adaptation: Howard Colyer

Cast: David Bromley

Director/Designer: Scott Le Crass

Lighting Designer: Cat Carter

Sound Designer: Bronagh Lagan

Image by Ashley Carter