Steven Webb will lead the US premiere of Marcelo Dos Santos’s one-person play Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen at Studio Theatre, Washington DC, this summer. The production marks the play’s first staging in the United States after an acclaimed international tour.

Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen launches previews on 4 June at Studio Theatre, with performances running until 12 July. Presented by Francesca Moody Productions, the play features Steven Webb as a stand-up comedian grappling with the emotional fallout of his romantic life.

The narrative focuses on the comedian’s experience after years of dating apps and casual encounters, who believes he has found a meaningful relationship, only to sabotage it. The production is directed by Matthew Xia, artistic director of Actors Touring Company.

The creative team also includes designer Kat Heath, lighting designer Elliot Griggs, sound designer Max Pappenheim, associate director Sophie Drake, and production manager Jack Boissieux.

Originally premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2022, Feeling Afraid As If Something Terrible Is Going To Happen won a Fringe First award before transferring to London’s Bush Theatre in 2023. It has since toured internationally, with performances at Arts Centre Melbourne, Sydney Opera House, and the Adelaide Festival.

This US run continues Francesca Moody Productions’ international activity, following recent presentations of Weather Girl in New York and An Oak Tree in Europe.

The company is currently involved with other projects including Relics at the Lyric Hammersmith and the Shedinburgh Fringe Festival. The US premiere represents another step in expanding the play’s global reach.