'What happens when we die?'

When Shaun turned his back on the church, he found a new home in music. Confronted now with acute degenerative hearing loss, he's making the choice to live joyfully in the face of life's many unanswerable questions.

Written and performed by Obie-winning, New York-based duo The Bengsons, and set to an evocative, original indie-folk music score, Ohio is an exhilarating and celebratory true story about losing faith and finding hope in the darkest of places.

Ohio was first performed at the Assembly Roxy during the 2025 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, directed by Caitlin Sullivan and produced by Francesca Moody Productions and piece by piece productions, before transferring to Bristol Old Vic and the Young Vic, London. It won a Fringe First Award and received widespread critical acclaim.

About the Author

Shaun and Abigail Bengsons' previous work for the stage includes Sovereignty Hymns, The Keep Going Song, My Joy is Heavy and Hundred Days. They have received the Jonathan Larson and Richard Rodgers Awards and nominations for the Drama Desk, Drama League and Lucille Lortel Awards.

Reviews

'Shattering... a deeply spiritual meditation on the world we live in... a bittersweet story of family, faith and loss [that] is almost ferociously about grabbing hold of life... devastatingly wrought'

* Guardian *

'I was in pieces... rapturously good'

* The Times *

'Intoxicating'

* Time Out *

'One of the most powerful depictions of disability I've ever seen on stage'

* Metro *

'Extraordinary... moving, thought-provoking and often very funny... an almost magical entwining of music and story... warm and rapturous... a genuine gem'

* WhatsOnStage *

'Utterly gorgeous'

* The Stage *

'Heart warming, joyful, and touching... a concoction of joy, warmth and resilience that reminds us why live performance remains vital'

* Ed Fest Mag *


Awards
Winner of Edinburgh Fringe First Award 2025.



Book Information
ISBN 9781839045349
Author The Bengsons
Format Paperback
Page Count 64
Imprint Nick Hern Books
Publisher Nick Hern Books
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 5mm