Doomscroll Till I Die: Theatre’s Metafictional Dive into Digital Addiction

The show’s title, blunt, evocative, and instantly recognizable, captures the essence of a phenomenon that has become part of daily life for millions. Doomscrolling describes the compulsive habit of endlessly scrolling through negative news or social media posts, often to the detriment of mental well-being. This endless consumption can feel simultaneously numbing and overwhelming, a paradox that the production aims to explore deeply.

Far from a straightforward adaptation of internet culture, Doomscroll Till I Die immerses the audience inside a virtual landscape, crafting an experience that mirrors what it feels like to be trapped within one’s phone. The creators designed the show to evoke the obsession, chaos, and fleeting beauty that exist in these digital realms, framing the experience in a way that is both surreal and intimately familiar.

This immersive approach allows the audience not only to witness but to live the relentless flicker of attention, the compulsive need to keep refreshing, liking, and reacting. It embodies the contemporary struggle to stay present in the real world while simultaneously surrendering to the seductive distractions of the digital universe. The production’s clever metafictional layers function much like a hall of mirrors, reflecting the fragmented and sometimes disorienting experience of life online.

Stylistically, the show embraces what has been described as an “episodic cabaret of crisis.” This fragmented, rapid-fire structure mirrors the short, punchy, and highly visual content typical of social media platforms. Scenes and sketches flicker by like viral clips, inviting audiences to experience the pace and rhythm of doomscrolling. The cabaret format also lends itself to an irreverent, playful tone that balances heavier themes with moments of outrageous comedy and absurdity.

This juxtaposition of humor and urgency is vital, doomscrolling itself is often a coping mechanism for anxiety and existential dread, but it also has an element of dark comedy. The production harnesses this complexity, using wit and theatrical invention to expose the absurdity of modern addiction without trivializing the very real emotional toll it exacts.

One of the show’s standout moments, a meticulously crafted lip-sync performance to the funky instrumental “Dean Town” by Vulfpeck, epitomizes the production’s playful spirit. It’s a performance that turns a seemingly simple act into an electrifying expression of digital culture’s performative nature. This piece alone captures the frantic energy and performative layering that the show uses to comment on how identity and self-expression are filtered through screens.

Behind the creative ambition is a commitment to fostering new talent, exemplified by the show’s development through the Opportunities for Actors Programme. This initiative aims to address the well-documented challenges faced by recent drama school graduates in breaking into the industry. In an environment where “experience required” is a near-universal barrier, opportunities to perform professionally soon after graduation are crucial yet scarce.

The creators made a deliberate decision to cast a cohort from the same graduating class and drama school, capitalizing on the chemistry and camaraderie already established among the ensemble. This choice was especially pragmatic given the compressed rehearsal timeline, just ten days from initial gathering to stage-ready performance. The tight timeframe and existing relationships facilitated a creative process marked by energy, spontaneity, and trust, all of which shine through in the final production.

Moreover, the casting reflects a conscious effort to counteract the exclusivity that often dominates the arts, particularly fringe theatre. By focusing on performers who might otherwise go unrepresented, the production becomes a microcosm of the industry’s ongoing struggle with inclusivity. Plans to expand future casting beyond a single institution further underline a commitment to democratizing access to theatre-making, ensuring that diverse voices have the chance to be heard and seen.

What makes Doomscroll Till I Die particularly compelling is its refusal to settle for superficial satire. The show probes beneath the surface spectacle of digital addiction, exploring the emotional and psychological currents that underlie it. Doomscrolling is framed as a symptom of broader social and personal anxieties, the fear of missing out, the overwhelming flood of global crises, the yearning for connection in an isolating world.

The characters and sketches embody these contradictions, they are at once ridiculous and heartbreakingly human, caught in cycles of avoidance, distraction, and longing.

The show acknowledges how the act of scrolling can become a substitute for meaningful engagement, a way to feel connected while remaining emotionally distant.

In translating this experience for the stage, the production raises essential questions about the cost of our digital dependencies. What do we lose when we choose to bury ourselves in screens instead of facing the complexities of life directly? What potential creativity and connection slip through our fingers as hours vanish into an abyss of notifications?

Since its premiere, Doomscroll Till I Die has struck a chord with audiences across age groups, resonating especially with those who recognize their own habits and anxieties in the show’s depiction. The production’s mix of humor, honesty, and inventive staging creates a communal space for reflection and recognition, rare in an era often defined by isolated screen time.

Critics have praised the show for its inventive use of theatrical form to capture the zeitgeist of the digital age. The show’s willingness to confront uncomfortable truths about mental health, social media’s impact, and generational divides positions it as a vital work of contemporary theatre. It invites viewers not just to laugh at the absurdity of their habits but to reconsider how they relate to technology and, ultimately, to themselves.

Doomscroll Till I Die is part of a growing wave of theatrical works grappling with digital life. In recent years, theatre makers have increasingly turned their attention to technology’s impact on identity, communication, and mental health. Unlike films or TV shows, theatre’s immediacy and intimacy offer a unique space to experience the contradictions of our digital existence physically and emotionally.

By placing audiences within a “phone world,” the production challenges traditional theatrical boundaries, blending multimedia elements, live performance, and immersive techniques. This hybridization reflects not only the subject matter but also a broader trend in contemporary performance toward breaking down conventional forms to reflect the fractured, rapid-fire nature of modern life.

At its core, the show is not just a critique but a call to action. By spotlighting doomscrolling’s hold over us, it implicitly urges audiences to reclaim their attention and time. The final question the show leaves lingering, “What would you create if you weren’t doomscrolling?”, is a powerful invitation to reimagine how we engage with our digital tools.

This question is especially resonant for artists and creatives, for whom distraction can be both a curse and a muse. The show suggests that breaking free from compulsive scrolling might unlock new wells of creativity, presence, and connection.

Doomscroll Till I Die is a vibrant, urgent piece of theatre that captures the zeitgeist of our tech-saturated lives with wit, heart, and inventiveness. It shines a spotlight on one of the most universal yet unspoken struggles of the digital age, transforming a solitary habit into a shared, communal experience.

By weaving together humor, social critique, and empathetic storytelling, the production offers more than entertainment, it provides a space for reflection, a challenge to habitual behavior, and ultimately, a hopeful gesture toward a more mindful future.

As audiences leave the theatre, they carry with them not just the laughter and spectacle but a heightened awareness of how easily they can slip into digital overwhelm, and the possibility that there’s something richer waiting on the other side of the screen. Doomscroll Till I Die runs at the Pleasance Theatre from 23rd to 27th September. This limited engagement offers audiences a rare chance to experience a fresh, sharp, and immersive exploration of our digital anxieties through the lens of cabaret and dark comedy.

Tickets are available through the Pleasance Theatre box office and online. Given the show's energetic cast of fresh talent and its strikingly relevant themes, it promises to be one of the standout new works on this year’s Fringe circuit.