A one-man theatre show performed and directed by Mark McAuley

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About the Show

Diary of a Mad Man is a darkly comic, one-man theatrical performance by Mark McAuley, premiering at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Adapted from Nikolai Gogol and reimagined in contemporary Ireland, the production blends psychological drama with biting satire. Through physicality, audience interaction, and visceral lighting, the show charts a character’s psychological unravelling in an intense and immersive experience. The show runs from 5–31 August 2026 at the Assembly Roxy (RoxyBoxy space), one of the key hubs of the Assembly Festival.

 

Short Synopsis

The play follows a corporate worker whose obsession with status and hierarchy spirals into psychological collapse. As his fixation on power, race, and his CEO’s daughter deepens, his inner voice becomes increasingly persuasive—and dangerous. Reality fractures, pulling the audience into his distorted logic, where ambition mutates into madness.

 

Themes

• Mental health and psychological breakdown

• Ambition, class, and corporate hierarchy

• Identity and self-delusion

• Obsession and power dynamics

• The thin line between logic and madness

Using dark humour, the show explores how personal failure and societal pressure can distort perception and justify extreme thinking.

 

Venue

Assembly: RoxyBoxy: An intimate performance space within Assembly Roxy. Known for showcasing innovative and emerging work, the venue’s close proximity between performer and audience intensifies the psychological impact of the piece.

 

Relevance Today

In an era defined by corporate pressure, social comparison, and identity anxiety, Diary of a Mad Man feels particularly urgent. The play reflects on:

• The psychological toll of modern work culture

• Increasing obsession with status and success

• The fragility of mental health in high-pressure environments

Its contemporary Irish setting grounds Gogol’s classic in today’s socio-economic reality, making its themes both relatable and unsettling.

 

Why This Show Is Important

• Timeless story, modern lens: Reinterprets a classic text for today’s audience

• Psychological depth: Challenges audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about ambition and identity

• Fringe spirit: Embodies the experimental, intimate, and provocative nature of the Fringe

At its core, the show asks how easily rational thinking can become distorted—and how close madness might truly be.

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Creative Team Bios

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Mark McAuley (Performer / Director)

Mark McAuley is an award-winning actor, writer, and director. He brought his play A Fear and Loathing Actor in Dublin to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2019, where it received 5-star reviews and was named a Fringe Review Highly Recommended Show. His stage work includes numerous professional productions, most recently Exhibition (2023). Screen credits include Vikings, Into the Badlands, and Saol. Mark’s debut feature film, aWake (writer, director, and actor), is currently streaming on Amazon Prime UK. He was awarded the “Actor as Creator” grant for his short film Father and won Best Performance at the Short Focus Film Festival (London, 2022).

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Derek Masterson (Writer)

Derek Masterson is an award-winning Irish playwright and screenwriter. His plays—including Bound, Exhibition, A Nice Bed to Die In, and Queens of Pimlico—have played to sold-out audiences across Dublin’s leading theatres, combining socially resonant themes with sharp character studies. His work has featured in the International Dublin Gay Theatre Festival, Dublin Theatre Festival’s Play On programme, and in New York with The Break Away Project.His screen work includes the short documentary Visionaries, which screened internationally, and The Black Keys, which reached global audiences.

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Links & Contact

• Official show page: View show details

• Tickets & festival listing: Buy tickets via Assembly Festival

• PR enquiries: Annabelle - prteam@mobiusindustries.com/ www.mobiusindustries.com