A BALLOON WILL POP AT SOME POINT DURING THIS PLAY

Written by Andrew Macmillan

Presented by East and Under Theatre Co.

Images by Brendan Mattress

GALLERY

Elijah has been doing some reading, and has some stuff to get off their chest. There’s only one
problem. Well there’s a lot of problems, but this specific problem looks like a balloon, and Elijah
has no idea where it came from, or what it means.

A Balloon Will Pop at Some Point During This Play is one person’s quest to understand why our
problems feel so huge, especially when science tells us we’re missing 95% of the Universe… Oh
wait… that might have something to do with it.

There are protests, conspiracy theories, black holes, time witches and very big conversations on
the side of a bridge. It’s an existential one-man dark comedy show about a lot.

And there’s a balloon.

This Play is a one-act show exploring the perils of hunting for certainty. It asks what we know about ourselves, what we know about our universe, and whether it’s worth trying to know anything at all. We all find uncertainty uncomfortable, and we cling to so many different things to try and avoid it. This play asks you why.

A man with curly hair and a beard wearing a black suit and black tie, holding a pitchfork, with a red balloon attached to a string in the background, and a large red circle in the background.
A man in a black suit holding a red balloon, standing in front of a projection of Leonardo da Vinci's 'Vitruvian Man' drawing.
A man with curly hair and a beard, wearing a black suit and shirt, standing with arms outstretched and mouth open, on a stage with a large screen behind him displaying a world map and a person’s face.
Dark room with a red illuminated wall displaying the words 'WRONG YOU F***S'. Silhouette of a person with curly hair, possibly a man, standing with arms outstretched. A balloon is attached to a table or stand, also silhouetted.
A man with curly hair and a beard, dressed in black, holding a stick in his right hand, with an intense expression, facing a large illuminated red balloon at night.
A man in a black suit holding a red balloon in front of a red orb with a black background.

REVIEW

Creative Futures

“The closing act of the whole show is a visual feast.”

(2025, Creative Futures)