Writer, Performer, Producer - Performed at Nauti Studios

September 9th - 13th 2026

She Says (or American Psycho for Corporate Bullies)

Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them. Everyone is afraid of a bully.
An HR nightmare by Jess Zlotnick

A ruthless advertising exec is called in to speak with HR. She assumes it’s because of all the murders she's committed. It’s actually because she’s been accused of bullying.
What follows is her side of the story.
Every. Gory. Detail.

She Says is a feminist revolt(ing) show about the way we cast women as anything but what they really are (even when what they really are is much scarier than what we think they are). A work in development, an experiment, a hatred-fuelled tale of pork, advertising, and redundancy.
Part HR meeting, part autobiography, part delusion, every woman’s worst nightmare.

If you’re the head of HR at any company I have previously been an employee of I suggest you give this one a miss.

Written and Performed by Jess Zlotnick
Developed with support from the Old Fitz Theatre Playwrights' Course

Writer’s Note

In my career I have been summoned to an office for a meeting much like the one you have seen tonight.

A man I worked with accused me of bullying him. Did I bully him? No. Did he think I bullied him? Yes.

Since then I have learned that being direct is often misconstrued as being rude. That being blunt is seen as being a bully. I’ve also learned that in situations where I’m stressed and likely to say something blunt it’s OK for me to walk away and cool down.

I’ve also learned that men (read: several world leaders) have done far more heinous shit than I will ever do. They don’t even pretend to have not done it (they have been convicted of doing it) and they certainly do not go home at night, reflect on it, and attempt some form of apology/accountability in the form of a 90 minute one person show. These men act without accountability or consequence, and they are rewarded for it in the form of power, money, and fame.

This is not OK.

I am not a bitch for telling someone that we need to move on.

I am not a bully for telling someone that the conversation they’re having is not appropriate for work.

I’m a bitch because I think you shouldn’t be here if you hate your job.

But I’m not and have never been a bully.

If you came to this show hoping for some kind of apology: OK.

I’d like to apologise.

Apologies to my mum and dad for supporting me through a heinously busy period of my life. The frozen meals you dropped off for me when I couldn’t find time to feed myself meant the world to me.

Apologies to Margaret Thanos for championing my writing and pushing me to believe in myself.

Apologies to Tasha, Angus, and Diego for supporting me and all of my crazy projects in various ways.

Apologies to Emma and Lucy, Mary Rachel Brown, and the Old Fitz Playwrights Cohort 2026. I really struggled to describe this show to you and you were all still very generous with your feedback and support.

Apologies to everyone who messaged me about this idea when I did a manic series of Instagram stories about it. I took all your names down and when this show goes into its next phase (i.e. not some ill-advised one woman show) I will call upon you.

I hope we can all grow from this experience and emerge from it stronger as a team, ready to approach next quarter’s goals with renewed synergy.

This show happened regardless of:

XXX: it was one time and no you shouldn’t have been talking about video gaming when you were on the clock at a business that monitored every second of our days.

XXX: those men were painting me as something you knew I wasn’t and instead of standing up for me you took their side.

XXX: buying cakes for everyone else at bump in except for me was in fact bullying. What I said to you was not bullying.

XXX: learn about employment law or get a different job. Also you should know the names of everyone who works for you. There aren’t that many of them.

XXX: being 37 and not knowing the difference between “emotional availability” and “casual sex” is embarrassing for you. Also sending me a photo with your teeth stained from red wine was really weird.

XXX: you shouldn’t be a doctor if you say things like “you look like you want to be beaten up” to women you’re on a first date with.

XXX: I don’t believe it’s possible to “accidentally” touch the ass cheek of a woman you’ve known since she was twelve.

But of course, it’s my word against theirs.

She Says.