
off with their heads productions presents
starring vanessa buckley
written and directed by jen mcauliffe
Chip On Her Shoulder

7 - 11 OCTOBER | EXPLOSIVES FACTORY
starring vanessa buckley
written and directed by jen mcauliffe
Single, Snacking, and Struggling: A Play About Chips, Comfort and Coping
Kate wishes she was all that — and a bag of chips. Spoiler: she’s not. She’s a mess, and she knows it. But she’s trying, sort of. She might even be a little bit salty — at life, at love, at herself.
An Aussie living in New York, chasing a Broadway dream that’s about as likely as her plants surviving. Until the “big break” shows up, she’s working double shifts as a nurse, surviving dating disasters, navigating endless auditions that never go quite right, and hiding from the crushing loneliness at the bottom of a chip bag. Because if you’re going to fall apart, it might as well be with some crunch.
While everyone else is busy journalling their feelings, attending reformer Pilates, Kate’s just trying not to lose it completely — one salty snack at a time.
This brutally honest, cheeky, and often uncomfortable one-woman show drags you through the weird rituals of coping: crying in hospital toilets, spiraling mid-therapy, surviving a string of disastrous dates that feel like emotional minefields, wrestling with grief, and wondering if you should download that dating app one last time — just in case.
If you’ve ever eaten your trauma like it’s a bag of chips you can’t stop digging into, if you’ve cried into crinkle cuts and found carbs way more comforting than people — welcome home.
Come for the laughs. Stay because you’re not sure whether to cry or just open another bag.
VENUE
Explosives Factory, Rear Laneway 67 Inkerman Street, St Kilda
DURATION
60 Minutes
WARNINGS
Mature Themes, Crude Sexual Content, Strong, explicit language , Disordered Eating/Body Image: Trauma/Abuse, Emotional Distress: Themes of grief
ACCESSIBILITY
Explosives Factory is accessed via a flight of stairs and is not wheelchair accessible.


DATES + TIMES
Tue 7 Oct 6:00PM
Wed 8 Oct 6:00PM
Thu 9 Oct 6:00PM
Fri 10 Oct 6:00PM
Sat 11 Oct 6:00PM
Theatre Works has a lockout policy for latecomers. Please arrive at least 15 minutes early to ensure you don't miss out.
Refunds will not be issued to latecomers.
TICKETS
FULL PRICE
$35.00
CONCESSION
$28.00

Theatre Works has been long established as the south-side festival hub in Melbourne.
Theatre Works’ MELBOURNE FRINGE FESTIVAL HUB will be buzzing with 17 shows across our two venues - a bold showcase of the full spectrum of independent performance and the brilliant, boundary-pushing artists who make it possible.
*Seniors, Student, MEAA, Health Care and Low Income card holders

CREDITS
PERFORMER, PRODUCER, CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT
Vanessa Buckley
PLAYWRIGHT & DIRECTOR
Jen McAuliffe
STAGE MANAGER
Maylynn Bloom
LIGHTING DESIGN
Viv Hargreaves
COORDINATOR
Emily Farrell
VOICE ACTORS
Victoria Nieves
Curry Whitmire
MEET THE ARTIST -
Jen McAuliffe
Jen McAuliffe is an award-winning screenwriter and producer known for her fearless, emotionally rich storytelling and sharp comic voice. Her work — spanning television, film and theatre — tackles complex social themes with wit and originality.
Her breakout script Heartbreak Under a Neon Streetlight has earned over 100 international accolades, including Best Female Screenwriter (Chicago Script Awards) and Best TV Pilot (Hollywood Script Awards), and was spotlighted in ELLE Canada. Her pilot At The Table has also gained critical recognition, further establishing her as a bold new voice in comedy-drama.
Jen was mentored by acclaimed showrunner Steve Leff (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Two and a Half Men), refining her signature blend of grounded character comedy and social commentary.
Her credits include the web series series Lipsmacker and Last Active, the short-form documentary Bleeding Through Taboo, and the podcast Chatworthy, which explores creativity, media, and mental health. She also worked Off-Broadway on Or Current Resident and has produced industry roundtables at the Cannes Film Festival (American Pavilion).
In 2024, Jen co-founded Off With Their Heads Productions with actress Victoria Nieves, dedicated to bold new works across stage and screen.


EXTRAS
CHECK BACK SOON FOR BACKSTAGE CONTENT
DOUBLE BILLED: Brothers Bare
Catch Brothers Bare at Explosives Factory on the same night you see Chip on her Shoulder