You’re welcomed into Troubled, not just with a warm smile, but with a cup of tea and a Tunnock’s Tea Cake, and this immediately sets the tone for the hour ahead: intimate, generous, and deeply human. Suzy Crothers holds the room in her thrall with an open heart and searing honesty, guiding us through her personal story with raw vulnerability and just the right touch of humour.

Through a mix of video and audio clips – cleverly and thoughtfully used – we’re drawn into Suzy’s memories, her struggles, and her search for connection and peace from the negative voices in her head. It’s not flashy theatre, but it doesn’t need to be. Her presence alone is magnetic. The show’s title nods to the Troubles in Belfast, where Suzy grew up, and those echoes of violence, fear, and resilience ripple through her story in subtle, powerful ways. Facing up to the reality of her past may just be the key to finding her some inner peace.

There are no neat answers here. Suzy doesn’t offer a perfect resolution, just like life doesn’t. But what you leave with is something more real – a feeling that, despite everything, there’s still hope that she might find the joy and love she deserves. It’s quiet, affecting work that lingers long after the last line.

4.5 ****

Reviewed by Rona