DELIRIUM Review: Bored or Confused? Two Friends Debate Ionesco's Frenzy for Two, or More

Delirium Off-Broadway review: is Igor Golyak's adaptation of Eugène Ionesco's Frenzy for Two, or More bored, confused, or both? This time I'm joined by my friend Malcolm for a full post-show discussion of Delirium at The Space at Irondale in Brooklyn. We saw an early preview, went home in silence, and saved the conversation for the next morning. We talk about Ionesco and absurdist theater, the war-torn apartment setting, the clowning, the performances by Chulpan Khamatova and Andrey Burkovskiy, the goldfish, and whether absurd material works best played for laughs or played straight. We also compare it to the clowning in And Then the Rodeo Burned Down, and finish with the classic Bored and Confused verdict and a warning about one very bad row of seats. Spoiler note: the discussion gets into details of the staging and the ending, so the spoiler section is marked below. TIME CODES 0:00 Intro: a new Bored and Confused format with Malcolm 3:01 Who was Eugène Ionesco? Frenzy for Two, or More 9:21 Igor Golyak's adaptation: from Boston to Off-Broadway 14:40 Our main criticism: absurd for absurd's sake 18:33 The performances: Chulpan Khamatova and Andrey Burkovskiy 25:32 Clowning that works vs. clowning that doesn't (And Then the Rodeo Burned Down) 29:43 The goldfish and that ending (spoilers) 34:23 What is absurdist theater for? Play it straight or play it for laughs? 44:44 Bored or Confused? Our verdict 48:38 Irondale seating warning + how to see the show ABOUT THE SHOW Delirium Adapted and directed by Igor Golyak from Eugène Ionesco's Frenzy for Two, or More Starring Andrey Burkovskiy and Chulpan Khamatova Presented by -Arlekin! at The Space at Irondale, 85 South Oxford Street, Fort Greene, Brooklyn Opening night: September 24, 2026 Production Photography by Austin Ruffer Did you like the two-friend format? Let me know in the comments, and tell me which of your theater buddies I should drag in next. Subscribe:    / @matthewhardymusical