The Brilliance of Broken Glass: Button

From the moment the TV intro flickers to life, you know this won’t be your garden-variety Fringe show.

New York’s Brooke isn’t just sharing personal stories — she’s throwing open the door to that tangled, messy web life we never expect but can’t ignore: when your path gets rewritten by medical chaos.

This isn’t a polished memoir, it’s a raw conversation with someone you haven’t seen in years — the kind where the floodgates open, the truth spills out, and you laugh through the tears.

Brooke, a writer and Moth StorySLAM champ, guides you through the bewildering maze of hospital visits, setbacks, and uncertainty, all while desperately clutching at the fragile threads of a ‘normal’ young adulthood slipping away. And yes, there’s a cuddly guide dog cameo — at first it seems out of place, but it’s the perfect symbol of the bonds that keep us tethered, especially the tender, unexpected ties with her grandmother.

Set against the intimate, intense backdrop of the Bunker, the space feels like the inside of a breath held — sometimes uncomfortable, always honest, but never without a flicker of hope.

Brooke’s storytelling weaves sharp wit with moments of gut-punching reality — hospital wards, disrupted lives, and the fractured beauty of broken glass.

And here’s where the show shines with something truly special — the writing.

It’s got that Walt Whitman rhythm, the kind that sings of brokenness not as defeat but as brilliance, as light refracted through cracks.

A Wes Anderson touch, too — delicate, quirky, with an eye for the odd little moments that make pain beautiful.

Warmth and streetwise grit swirl together, lifting this beyond mere survival into something altogether more luminous.

Make no mistake, this is a lived-in, sometimes brutal meditation on piecing yourself back together when the world falls apart. But it’s carried with a grace and lightness you don’t often see — like glass catching the sun and throwing rainbows.

If you’re up for taking the left side of your brain out for a thoughtful, early-morning walk — this is the show to see.

One4Review

I caught The Brilliance of Broken Glass: Button, and I’m really glad I did.

This one-woman show is
thoughtful,
sharply funny,
and sneakily emotional.

It’s the kind of performance that
draws you in quietly
and leaves you thinking about it
long after it’s over.

The writing is smart,
and the performance is personal
and memorable.

If you’re looking for something
off the beaten path that

mixes humor, honesty,
and a unique perspective,

this show is worth seeing!

Audience

Brooke’s one-woman show
was an incredible mix of
wit, intelligence, and heart.

She expertly transforms
hardship into comedy,

keeping the audience captivated
with her dynamic presence

and raw emotion
from start to finish.

Can't wait to see her again!

Audience

What makes me want to return to
Brooke’s performances again and again

is delighting in the absolute brilliance
of the words
she so carefully choses
to convey her stories.

The Brilliance of Broken Glass
is as much
a feast for the intellect
as it is for the soul.

Audience

The Brilliance of Broken Glass should be seen three times—

once - to succumb
to the full weight of Brooke’s unfathomable lived experience,

again - to marvel
at the resilience and strength
of the single strand of silk
that is Brooke being Brooke,

and finally - to delight
in the absolute brilliance of the words
she has so carefully chosen to convey her story.

Audience

To say that
I was totally blown away
by her performance
would be an understatement.

The virtuosity
she displayed in
a non-stop high energy performance

where she was in part
searingly honest,
vulnerable,
funny
and intense
was breath-taking.

Hanging on to the roller coaster
of her emotions for dear life
I laughed with her.
I cried with her.
I rejoiced at her successes.
I shared the pain she experienced.

I couldn't believe
the life time of learning and wisdom
that came through.

If you want to feel deeply

what being totally human
and relating with others -
especially close family members -
is all about,

this is not to be missed.

Audience

It was an amazing performance.

It went so fast.

It was so dynamic.

You really gave it your all.
I'm feeling so much for you.

And I loved it.
I absolutely loved it!
Very powerful.

Thank you, Brooke

Audience

That was totally amazing
and mind-blowing.

I mean I couldn't believe -
I laughed.
I cried.

I went through this entire journey.

And it blows my mind.

I mean, actually,
I can’t wait to see it again.

And I'd love to read the whole thing-
the script from end to end,

because I really want to go back,
and you know,

just re-live every moment of it.

It was just amazing.

Audience

Wit plus vulnerability
rolled up into one.

This isn't your ordinary comedy,

Brooke took us through some REAL LIFE HAPPENINGS
(some wild stories, you need to hear them to believe)

and draws them back
to positivity,
learnings,
and bigger picture ideas.

Some seriously sharp punchlines.

Audience

It was absolute poetry.

Beautiful.
Revealing.
Emotional.
Optimistic.

You left it all out there.
I loved it.

Congratulations. Charge forward.

Audience

If you like solo autobiographical shows,
this is one to see.

Written and performed by Brooke,
you get
a potpourri of humor and pathos

written intelligently
and delivered at a rapid-fire pace.

She will bring tears to your eyes
and then make you laugh about it.

The production is enhanced with video projections of photos from her life.

In the end, you are rooting for her.

Plus, you will love her dog.

Audience

Your story,
told with a powerful range of emotions,

humor,
anger,
sadness,
hope,
and transformation,

continues to resonate with me.

You are choosing
to make your life your own
and inspiring others to do the same.

I am also reminded of the importance of supporting the people closest to me in my life during difficult times.

Audience

Bravo!! ..
thoroughly enjoyed the journey
that was beautifully performed...

Kudos for being transparent,
bold and beautiful

in a compelling,
poignant,
humorous
and triumphant
piece of work..

I'm sure it must be overwhelming and gratifying to connect with an audience through your adversity

shining light on the darkness...

Have you considered motivational speaking for people going / have been through rough times?

You'd be a North Star.

Audience

I just want to say
how inspirational
the show was.

It was funny.
It was vulnerable.

A great show for mothers and daughters to attend together.

Lot of lessons learned in there.
And laughs at the same time.

I encourage anyone
and everyone
to attend the show.

You’ll enjoy yourself. I promise.

Audience

It was an amazing show.

I resonated especially with the part about the pieces and

would definitely encourage people of all ages to go.

Especially with a loved one.
Thank you, Brooke.

Audience

NY comedian and Moth StorySLAM Champion Brooke
turns a life lived in three acts into

a sharply funny,
achingly honest
solo show.

Blending poetic storytelling
with razor-sharp wit,

Brooke crafts a comedic hour
that digs deep into the fractures of growing up, growing through, and growing out.

It's a wild,
tender,
and self-aware ride

through the innie and outie worlds of identity, memory, and making art from the mess.

Audience

Beautifully told,
while remaining raw
and honest.

Highly recommend

if you want to be taken
on an emotional journey,

but laugh plenty along the way.

Audience

this show has humor
in everyday moments

while also landing some emotional punches.....
I was a little taken aback at times!

different from the usual stand-up....
more personal,
more surprising.

Definitely worth watching!!!!

Audience

If you're looking for something
witty,
poignant,
and funny,
this is the show for you!

Brooke invites you to laugh with her as she takes you on a
vulnerable
and inspiring
storytelling journey

of growing up, family dynamics, health challenges, and resiliency.

You will laugh,
cry,
and leave the show inspired.

I would absolutely see it again.

Audience

Brooke lives up to the title in this show

it’s an hour + of absolute brilliance!

Audience

Brooke's show was one of the most polished shows I've seen at the Fringe this year.

It is a true story of one woman's incredible resilience and optimism.

I left feeling inspired to be optimistic in whatever the future may bring.

Audience

i love your story.
it changed my mind.

i want to tellthe meaning of your lifeto others.
it's very meaningful.

Audience

Brooke is brilliant, hilarious and charismatic.

This show is profound and heartfelt
and moves at a mile a minute.

It's incredible. Not to be missed!

Audience

Just come out of the performance. And it was brilliant. It's a really quick, witty, well-constructed life that I think holds loads of aspects I really enjoyed. And I think you should come along.

Audience

Just saw Brooke's beautiful, very vulnerable storytelling show. She tells a very honest story of her life, and it's very beautiful to see someone speak so passionately and genuinely about that.

Audience

It was a really great show. That was amazing. More words in the space of an hour than I've ever heard in an Edinburgh show. More references packed into an hour too. Tons of sparkle. Tons of pathos. Medical trauma. Stuffed animals. A great way to start your day at 1135 in the morning.

Audience