crushing

Crushing

There are few stories as old and sweet as the boy and girl who fall in love at school. But what seemed a familiar ritual to us a generation ago has changed forever with the advent of the smart phone and the unregulated expectations it has fostered among teenagers. Thomas Willshire’s gripping short play Crushing, which had its premiere in the Bowling Lyceum at the 2026 INK Festival, is a graphic and scary illustration of just how much the stakes have changed. A schoolboy crush turns decidedly dark when a year 11 teenager, Howard, won’t take no for an answer. His close friendship with classmate Pricilla turns into a toxic obsession that impacts every aspect of their lives. Haunting and relevant, this is a story that touches all of us.

Tour planned for 2027.