In a fairytale-turned-nightmare, Roisin McAlinden was swept off her feet by a knight in shining armour, but she quickly found a darker side to the saviour fantasy.
Fairytale: Ending sees British-born comedian, Roisin McAlinden, blend dark humour and intimate storytelling into a cheeky satire of the stories that shape our ideas of love. After critically acclaimed runs at Perth Fringe World, Melbourne International Comedy Festival and Sydney Fringe, McAlinden will return to Melbourne playing at Bard’s Apothecary from 6-10 October 2026.
“Why did you stay?” A common question asked of women after a bad relationship. McAlinden answers, exploring how these love stories lead women to believe that the only path to happiness is being chosen by a man. Even if that man is an angry loner who lives in a dusty tower with only furniture for friends (looking at you, Belle). Better to be like Snow White, perhaps. On the surface a typical housewife, McAlinden reframes her as a savvy business woman who strategically bakes pies for seven wealthy diamond miners.
Directed by Penny Greenhalgh (writer of URZILA starring Urzila Carlson), Fairytale: Ending is a personal and playful exploration of feminism, gender roles, queer identity and the power of women telling their own stories. “Before the Brothers Grimm, the first person to coin the term fairytale was a woman, Madame D’Aulnoy.” McAlinden enlightens. “She was arrested for revolutionary activities. These stories were once used to fight against forced marriage, warn women of the dangers of the world, and build hope for a better future. How different would our ideas of love and happiness be if women had been able to tell our own stories?” Fairytale: Ending is the answer.
