Crying Into Bins at Porters Theatre, Cardiff Review
Prompted by a friend's nervous breakdown over a food waste bin, Lia Burge uses her long-form spoken word poem CRYING INTO BINS to unravel two decades spent serving food and drink. Far from a basic one-woman show, this fast-paced and funny "poetical memoir" tackles mental health, social hierarchies, explosive rage and bittersweet acceptance.
If you have ever worked in hospitality, even just a trial pub shift at sixteen, this performance hits home. Anyone who has survived snotty customers or hidden in a back room for a quick breather will feel seen. Lia strikes a brilliant balance between laugh-out-loud comedy and poignant reality. You will laugh constantly, but the occasional heavy moments ground the piece and give it real depth.
Lia effortlessly shifts between stand-up, poetry and a bit of movement to trace her career across event catering, noisy bars, local pubs and quiet cafes. The staging is wonderfully simple: a couple of chairs, a microphone and an obscene number of sprouts. Sound effects of rubbish hitting a food waste bin chime in throughout, keeping the setting of being in a food waste bin firmly in mind.
Her delivery is quick, but she leaves plenty of room for laughs, captivating the room from start to finish. It is not for the faint-hearted, featuring plenty of strong language (including the C-word) and a healthy side of Thatcher bashing.
Beyond the chaos and drunk patrons, Lia challenges the idea that service work is just a temporary stepping stone rather than a meaningful job. She reflects tenderly on her cafe shifts, recalling regulars she knew so well she could spot when they were grieving, acting as their only human interaction that day, or watching customers with dementia break into song.
Clocking in at under an hour, it makes for a fantastic night out. Porters Theatre provided an intimate backdrop that felt like listening to a close friend vent about a wild shift. Lia builds a real connection with the audience, stepping right out into the crowd at times and holding intense, knowing eye contact that makes the room feel completely shared.
A fun night out for anyone who has ever survived a customer service job.
Upcoming UK Tour Dates include Nottingham: Fri 18 Sept, 8:00 PM – Nottingham Playhouse, Leeds: Thurs 24 Sept, 7:30 PM – Seven Arts, Manchester: Sun 27 Sept, 5:00 PM – 53Two, Brighton: Thurs 8 Oct, 7:30 PM – Komedia and Norwich: Sun 11 Oct, 7:00 PM – Norwich Theatre.
★★★
Written by Kia for Theatre and Tonic, September 2026.
