When Karen Hines decided to purchase a home back in 2006, she never imagined the countless issues that would arise as a result of shoddy building practices and lackadaisical real estate agents.

The ink had barely dried on her mortgage before Hines discovered how plagued with issues the tiny dwelling, initially described as a coach house, truly was. 

In less than three months, her dreams of living in a cozy house in one of Toronto's hip, up-and-coming neighbourhoods were shot.

"It seemed perfect," Hines told the Straight during a video interview at the Fishbowl, where local theatre company Boca del Lupo is hosting her solo show, Crawlspace, as part of it micro performance series.

"But within three months, it was clear that I was not going to be able to keep it, because I'd already spent twice what I'd put on a down payment to try to fix these horrible, heinous things that were wrong with it," she said.

From that point on, Hines dubbed the home her, "house of horrors". 

After the headache of having to fix and sell the home, she wrote a magazine story about her experience for Calgary's Swerve magazine. A friend, Bruce McCulloch (yes, that one) encouraged her to turn it into a solo show.

"Overtime, I realized that it's something that people want to experience in the flesh, so to speak," she said.

"It's had a bit of a journey, from me not wanting to write about it at all... to enjoying writing the magazine piece, to it being quite theatrical. It's very dark, but it is a comedy."

Hines hopes that the show will reveal to those who are caught in the mire of real estate lust that owning a home is not essential to one's happiness.

Crawlspace runs at Boca del Lupo's Fishbowl (100 - 1398 Cartwright Street) on Granville Island from February 8 to 18 at 8 p.m. Please note that there will not be any shows on February 12 or 13. 

Two separate audience experiences are available for the micro performance: those interested can purchase either the homeowner's experience, which includes cushy seating, premium vodka, and "all the finereies homeowners deserve", or the renter's experience, which includes bench seating, passable vodka, and "a few pleasantries". Tickets are limited as the Fishbowl seats just 15 audience members.

Find tickets here.