QPAC

We pay our respects to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ancestors of this land, their spirits and their legacy. The foundations laid by these ancestors give strength, inspiration and courage to current and future generations, both First Nations and non-First Nations peoples, towards creating a better Queensland.

Buy Tickets

$89.45 *

* A transaction fee of $7.50 applies.

1 hour 25 minutes

no interval, subject to change without notice

After five-star seasons at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival and in London last year and following a sold-out season at QPAC in 2023, Breaking the Castle returns to Brisbane in 2025.

Described as “the most significant theatre production audiences may ever experience”, it follows the story of David, a struggling actor whose life is a chaotic blend of substance abuse, Shakespearean soliloquies, failed auditions, and debilitating mental health. David takes himself to the brink, until an unlikely lifeline offers hope in the mountains of South-East Asia.

A genuine work of empathy, Breaking the Castle is an extraordinary, often hilarious, and true story about the indomitable nature of the human spirit.

A portion of the Box Office proceeds from Breaking the Castle will go to the Australian Anti Ice Campaign.

Words are fickle when you are trying to describe something like Breaking the Castle.

The New Current, London
Brilliantly written.

Adventures in Theatreland, London
This one-man production may be the most significant theatre production that audiences are ever likely to experience.

City Hub, Sydney
Cook’s performance is spectacular … You will leave the theatre reflecting on how you see the world.

Always time for Theatre, London
Cook’s play answers the question of “Why theatre?”

Canberra City News
Powerful, funny and deeply personal … the joy in the play’s final scene is infectious.

The Blog of Theatre Things, London