REVIEW: Sidekicks - PIP Theatre

Sidekicks - Written by Stephen Vagg

Produced and Co-Directed by: Tammy Tresillian & Simon Chugg

Venue: PIP Theatre

Cast: Tammy Tresillian as Caitlin Buckner (CB), Simon Chugg as Mackenzie Graham (Mac)

 “Dearly departed, we have gathered here today to say goodbye to my sex life.”

Are you the hero of your own story… or just the person holding the hero’s handbag?

That’s the question at the heart of Sidekicks, a fast-talking, whip-smart two-hander that had me laughing one minute and feeling personally attacked the next. Because let’s be honest, most of us have been the sidekick at some point (right?). The supportive best friend. The “duff”. The one with the unrequited crush. The one who convinces themselves they’re fine in the background…

From the moment we meet CB desperately trying to stop her friend Robyn from marrying the truly awful Hunter (*unter, as she calls him), we’re thrown straight into the chaos. Mac is quick to remind her they are not the main characters here. They love their best friends. They also kind of can’t stand them. Yet somehow, they’ve let their lives revolve around them.

The script moves at a cracking pace. We see flashbacks to how Mac and CB met, their competitive “my friend is shinier than yours” showdowns, rom-com style plotting sessions between the boys, and endless Brisbane and pop culture references like the line: “She chained herself to the Regatta Hotel to gain the right to drink herself to death like any man!”

Tammy Tresillian and Simon Chugg have an enormous task here. They play CB and Mac, but also Hunter, Robyn, and various side characters by switching genders through exaggerated physicality, quick costume additions, and vocal shifts. CB herself is a wonderfully fiery character. Rude, impassioned, fiercely loyal and not afraid to call things exactly as she sees them, described as the slightly jaded “Judy Greer” sidekick archetype we know from films like 27 Dresses or Suddenly 30.

Simon’s portrayal of Robyn and Tippy is delightfully unhinged and extra. And Tammy as Hunter is genuinely infuriating. I hated the way Hunter spoke to and about people – baiting, sleazy, offensive – and that’s absolutely a compliment to the actress. Tammy plays him so convincingly that I found myself physically bristling.

It’s a testament to the writing and performances that we can laugh at the satire while also recognising how painfully real those dynamics are. The dialogue is relentless. Sitcom-fast with Gen Y dry wit like: “I’m single and insecure and work really hard to compensate to tell myself I didn’t peak in my twenties.”

One of my favourite sequences is when Mac and CB narrate their inner thoughts while trying to decode flirtation: “Are these signals or does she have a sore neck?!” Then comes the "sex scene", which is blocked as an aerobics workout under disco lights. It’s outrageous, theatrical, and hilariously unsexy in the most genius way. A brilliantly choreographed farce.

The show cleverly pokes fun at the rules of the romantic comedy while still giving us one to root for. It knows every trope it’s playing with. The awkward flirting, the self-sabotage, the emotional realisations. One line sums up the whole premise beautifully: “I come along at key point to alter the story!” It highlights the irony that sidekicks often shape the narrative, even while ignoring their own wants and needs.

The idea itself is loosely inspired by Rosencrantz and Guildenstern from Hamlet, those famous side characters who exist on the edge of someone else’s story. “There is a dignity in being alone.” Tammy’s final monologue about self-worth genuinely moved me. The rapid-fire wrap-up of each character’s future is playful and satisfying, like a rom-com end-credit montage. The chemistry between Tammy and Simon is rehearsed to precision but still sparkles with the energy of spontaneity. What I found most interesting is that this piece is written by a male playwright, Stephen Vagg, who manages to capture both male and female perspectives with surprising accuracy. His observations of modern dating, friendship dynamics, and personal insecurity are packed with jokes that land like a perfectly paced sitcom episode.

If you’ve ever stood slightly to the side of your own life waiting for your cue, this one might sting a little. In a good way. Highly relatable. Highly entertaining.