WATCH ME SLEEP
Written by Rose Treloar Directed by Talia Benatar
Produced by Loose End Productions, New South Wales Australia
Presented by the New York City Fringe Festival
Performance Dates including year. April 14th, 16th, 18th & 19th
Wow.
Wow. Wow. Wow.
What fire!
For only the second time during this year's Fringe, I have watched a show where someone wrote themselves such a tremendous theatrical showcase of their talent. (But the third show which mentioned kegels!)
Rose Treloar has written a witty, biting, unpredictable play about a couple who are as passionate as they are damaged - deeply in love, but vicious. They swing from the bashful first blush to the agony of disappointment and jealousy. She co-stars as Ava who addresses the audience directly about watching her partner, Emmett, Damon Manns, sleep. Throughout the play, between rounds, both characters tell us their side of the story. We flash back in time and then forward again. Despite their flaws, both characters are immensely likeable, so you find yourself really pulling for them to work out their differences.Every relationship has its breaking point and we wonder if we are about to witness it.
There are no frills to this production and there doesn’t need to be. It depends on the acting and the writing – yes, there is some great underscoring; yes, there are some great light cues, particularly for a rep plot; and yes, their costumes worked perfectly to describe our characters without saying a word. The show is absolutely riveting. Director, Talia Benatar keeps her cast on point. They don’t wallow in the depths of despair. They keep moving. The performances were fiercely honest. Brilliant storytelling! Every moment is well defined. Such was the roller coaster ride that I had no idea how much time had passed from start to finish.
The only thing amiss with this production is that it’s Australian. That means after April 19th, you’d need to travel almost 10k miles to see them! My advice to you is to save the time and airfare, and see this show in the Fringe while you can. They are by far one of the best tickets in this city this week!
Click HERE for tickets.
Review by Nicole Jesson.
Published by Theatre Beyond Broadway on April 15, 2026. All rights reserved.
