Nervous Breakdown in G Minor

Lewis Rawlinson—Théâtre Cercle Molière

Part memoir, part concert, Nervous Breakdown in G Minor is a solo performance that blends queerness, addiction, and mental illness through the lens of a young American cellist. Lewis Rawlinson brings vulnerability and emotional depth to the stage, weaving his personal story with fragments of memory, music, and identity.

The cello playing, as expected, is superb but a pleasant surprise was Rawlinson’s singing voice, which added additional emotional and musical texture to the show. The more abstract, surreal segments gave this performance its most affecting moments. These atmospheric interludes often said more than words, and were a highlight of the theatrical portions of the show.

One of the strongest elements of the performance is Rawlinson’s portrayal of his psychotic break, not as retrospective trauma, but from the perspective of someone experiencing it in real time. These scenes were raw and immersive, offering a window into mental collapse that felt neither melodramatic nor clinical, but authentically lived.

Ashley Frantik