Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is one of those films you really should have on your bucket list. Pedro Almodóvar’s 1988 Spanish farce (currently streaming on SBS on Demand) follows actress Pepa, whose lover Iván has broken up with her over answering machine, and her long day trying to get in touch with him. Along the way, she collides with Iván’s ex-wife, a young couple who turn out to also be connected to him, and her best friend Candela. Men are ruining everyone’s day. It’s funny, clever and dark.
The musical adaptation, written by Jeffrey Lane (best known for his musical adaptation of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) with music and lyrics by David Yazbek (also Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and more recently the freshly Tony-nominated Dead Outlaw) premiered on Broadway 15 years ago – to middling (at best) reviews. Both its New York and West End seasons were cut short due to poor sales.
