The Sapphires Queensland Theatre Company Bille Brown Theatre 28 April – 24 May 2026 Written by: Tony Briggs Directed by: Wesley Enoch Musical Director: Nathaniel Andrew Choreographer: Yolande Brown Set and Costume Designer: Richard Roberts Lighting Designer: Ben Hughes Video Designer: Craig Wilkinson Sound Designer: Isaac Ogilvie Photography: David Kelly “You can’t be from Australia, you’re not white” Written by Tony Briggs and directed by Wesley Enoch, The Sapphires follows four Yorta Yorta women whose girl-group harmonies take them from local talent quests all the way to Vietnam to entertain troops on the frontlines. Inspired by the real First Nations women behind The Sapphires, the work carries a legacy of family, music, survival, and hard-won joy. Many know The Sapphires from the 2012 film, but the stage version offers its own particular thrill, with live songs that will make you dance in your seat. This is a story full of joy, but it is never joy without context. Even as the story moves through racism, war, grief, and fear, it keeps its groove. The weight lands when it needs to, but so does the laughter, the flirting, the sisterly squabbling, and the daggy dancing. Before the show, a small black-and-white TV sits centre stage, flickering with images of history, pop culture, and war. It is a clever little time capsule to place us inside the broadcast world of the 1960s. This retro TV and Craig Wilkinson’s scrim projections create a space caught somewhere between a live gig and a television transmission. Richard Roberts’ set features a glossy black floor, raised performance space, four-piece band, and a glittering The Sapphires sign overhead. It is flexible enough to shift from family home to beachfront, army barracks, concert stage, and war zone. While Roberts' costumes bring the period to life with colour, sparkle, and those glorious white go-go boots. As the story shifts to Vietnam, the theatre pulls us into the environment: haze in the air, rain noise around us, the smell of cigarettes, helicopters approaching from behind, bombs splitting the music, gunfire cracking through. One moment we are clapping along like we are part of the crowd, and the next, we're hit with the reality of exactly where that concert is happening. Isaac Ogilvie’s sound design does superb work here, particularly in the climactic final moments of Act One. The four women form the heart of the production, and they complement each other beautifully. Taeg Twist brings warmth and strength to Gail McCrae, the group's self-appointed mother hen. Gail is talkative, loud, protective, stubborn and often found rolling her eyes at the world. Beneath that tough-as-nails facade is a woman who's made it her mission to hold everything together, whether anyone asked her to or not. Her singing voice is incredible, but it’s her acting that truly grounds the emotional stakes. When she belts out the heartfelt tune "People Make This World a Better Place," with images of the real Sapphires flashing on screen, it's a heart-stirring moment. Ruby Henaway is a riot as Cynthia McCrae, strutting into every conversation like she has already decided she is the star of the show. Cynthia is hilariously bold, unashamedly herself, and allergic to behaving. Henaway has epic pipes, but when Cynthia sings through her hurt, you catch the ache hiding beneath all that confidence. Aurora Liddle-Christie is lovely as Kay McCrae, the sensible one of the sisters. She's got her own traumatic past, so she carries herself with a slightly different rhythm from the others. There is a quiet complexity in the way she presents herself to the world, and Liddle-Christie handles that tension with grace. She keeps the group grounded while still being a total goofball, managing to stand out without letting the louder personalities overshadow her, at least from my perspective. And finally, there is Tehya Makani as Julie McCrae, the baby sister with a voice that can stop a room. Julie starts as a frightened, grumpy, uncertain young woman, but she's sharp enough to spot a good chance when it comes along. Her performance of "Respect" is a proper arrival moment, showing off serious star power and the exact amount of attitude the song demands. Together, these four performers are wonderful. Their characters are all very different, yet they share the same family fire. You can see it in the way they look at each other onstage with genuine pride in their eyes, the kind that makes you believe these women have fought, laughed, judged, loved, and survived each other for years. Their a-cappella sisterly moment, "Ngarra Burra Ferra", is particularly beautiful. In a production full of big numbers, that quieter moment lands with emotional force. The romantic threads are surprisingly tender too. Each of the girls gets some version of longing, flirtation, disappointment, or hope, and none of it feels like filler between songs. Jack Bannister is wonderfully endearing as Dave Lovelace, the Aussie talent scout who is, frankly, a bit of a numpty. His attempts at dancing are truly white-man-in-public, but in the most affectionate way. Bannister gives Dave enough awkwardness to be funny and enough sincerity to be likeable, especially in his interactions with Gail. Garret Lyon is a charming nuisance as Jimmy, Cynthia’s ex-boyfriend and a man with very little chill. His interest in Cynthia is stalker-like to the extreme, yet Lyon somehow keeps him charmingly hopeless rather than alarming. His dancing is a highlight in itself, and every time he appears, the show gets a little extra boost. Chris Nguyen is delightful as Joe, a fourteen-year-old Vietnamese boy hustling to support himself and his family (often through pilfering). His dynamic with Julie is sweet, with both characters still teenagers trying to navigate adult circumstances. The parallel between Joe’s family and the Sapphires’ family, both with seven sisters and one brother, is a small and touching connection that helps humanise the Vietnamese experience within the broader wartime setting. While the war's effect on actual Vietnamese citizens isn't deeply explored, it's still present enough to make an impression. Cameron Leonard nails the comic awkwardness as an American soldier Robby, even making an entrance while dangling upside down in a parachute. It is silly, memorable, and exactly the kind of lighthearted character that this production knows how to use well. Nathaniel Andrew’s musical direction gives the 1960s soul classics real warmth and drive, and having the band live onstage keeps the energy immediate. The four-piece band, with Andrew also on guitar, supports the performers beautifully without overpowering them. Songs including "Heatwave", "The Shoop Shoop Song", and "Ain’t No Mountain High Enough" are crowd-pleasers for a reason, and this cast knows how to sell them. I left with a bunch of those tunes stuck in my head, which usually means the jukebox-style musical hit the mark. Yolande Brown’s choreography sits beautifully in the world of the piece. It is stylish, character-driven, and full of groove without looking over-rehearsed to death. The girls move as a unit, but not like four identical backup dancers. Each performer brings her own rhythm, attitude, and little flashes of personality, which makes the group numbers feel true rather than pasted on top. Ben Hughes’ lighting shifts smoothly from stage glamour to intimacy and wartime tension. One moment, the girls are glowing under concert lights; the next, the world around them feels exposed and unstable. Wilkinson’s projections are equally effective, moving from starlit nights and vibrant colours for performances to combat footage and broadcast history. The “travel vlog” style sequence is a clever way to cover scene and costume changes while keeping the pace moving, and the production rarely lets its energy sag. By the time the megamix arrives, the show has fully earned its celebration. Using the aisles gives the finale an immersive lift, and the audience response was exactly what you would expect from a practically sold-out season of a feel-good Australian classic. What makes this production so effective is its tonal balance, and Wesley Enoch’s direction steers that balance with a sure hand. The Sapphires is set during the Vietnam War, with depictions of racism, violence, abortion, family conflict, and the frightening reality of young women surrounded by men with guns in a foreign country. On paper, that sounds heavy. Onstage, it is still serious, but it is also kept colourful, romantic, cheeky, and alive. Enoch allows the sparkle to sit beside the danger without letting one cancel out the other. Queensland Theatre Company’s The Sapphires is big-hearted, moving, and full of soul. It celebrates the women behind the story while giving a new generation of First Nations performers the chance to step into that legacy with pride. It sings as a concert, aches as a family story, and stays with you as a love letter to Blak women who knew their worth long before the world caught up.

Title: Jane and Kel Go To Hell Presented By: Javeenbah Theatre Company Genre: Comedy / Dark Comedy / One-Act Play Reading Synopsis: Jane and Kel are housemates and best friends with bad jobs and questionable judgement. When Jane loses her job, she needs a new housemate to help cover rent. After interviewing several candidates, Roy seems like the perfect fit—except he is secretly a demon. Roy drags Jane into Hell, forcing both characters into a surreal and comedic journey through chaos, consequence, and friendship tested beyond the mortal world. Audition Self-Tape Due: Video Submissions due May 23rd, 2026 Audition Requirements: Please submit a recording of you reading a monologue of your choice. This show is a dark comedy, so please choose something that might fit this theme. Monologue must be no longer than a minute. Please submit via email to mikmurph@gmail.com Audition Registration: Submission via email Audition Pack: Jane and Kel Go To Hell Audition Pack Performance Dates: June 20th - 21st, 2026 Performance Times: Saturday - 7PM Sunday - 2PM Performance Location: Javeenbah Theatre, Stevens St, Nerang QLD 4211 Rehearsal Dates: Decided amongst cast availability. Rehearsal Location: Javeenbah Theatre, Stevens St, Nerang QLD 4211 Warnings: Themes of Hell / afterlife Mature humour and language Dark comedic content Performer Age: 18+ Creative Team: Directed by Mikaela Murphy Production Website: Javeenbah Theatre Company Other Information: This is a rehearsed play reading, not a full staged production The script focuses on character-driven comedy in a surreal, supernatural setting Available Roles/Character Breakdown: JANE (Lead) (Female, playing age between 20-35) A burnt-out journalist struggling with depression, purpose, and modern adulthood. Intelligent and deeply cynical, Jane feels trapped between wanting meaningful work and surviving in a shallow, contentdriven world. KEL (Lead) (Female, playing age between 20-35) Jane’s chaotic, loud, fiercely loyal best friend. Kel masks her own fears about failure and adulthood with humour, recklessness, and pop culture obsession, but deeply cares about protecting Jane. KIM (Supporting) (Female, any age 18+) Kel’s quiet, intelligent university classmate. Awkward but kind-hearted, Kim becomes an unexpected source of stability and practical thinking as the supernatural events escalate. Kim also doubles as the characters SKYE, TINA, and LYLE*. ROY (Supporting) (Male, any age 18+) The seemingly perfect new housemate; polite, thoughtful, and unsettlingly nice. As the play progresses, Roy’s behaviour becomes increasingly uncanny, revealing something far darker beneath his calm exterior. Roy also doubles as the characters WAITER, TILLY, and LYLE*. TROY (Supporting) (Male, any age 18+) Kel’s immature but oddly sincere ex-boyfriend. A wannabe rapper with zero self-awareness, Troy provides much of the play’s comic relief while occasionally stumbling into genuine emotional insight. Troy also doubles as the characters DEVIN, TRAIN GUY, and LYLE* . *LYLE is the karaoke host at Fat Louie’s. Lyle acts as a recurring comic presence throughout the play. Different actors play “Lyle” throughout the show.

Title: The Play Forge 2026 Presented By: Phoenix Arts Academy Genre: One-Act Play / Youth Theatre Intensive / Drama Workshop Performance Synopsis: The Play Forge is a 5-day intensive theatre program for high school students, culminating in a performance of a one-act play. Participants experience the full play-building process from rehearsal to performance, developing skills in acting, stagecraft, character development, movement, voice, and production roles. The program also includes opportunities for students to work in technical and backstage areas, supporting a final staged performance at the end of the week. Audition Date: Monday June 29th, 2026 (auditions held on Day 1 of the program for succesful applicants) Audition Time: From 9:00AM (within workshop schedule) Audition Location and Address: Phoenix Ensemble, Beenleigh Show Grounds, James St, Beenleigh QLD 4207 Audition Requirements: Auditions conducted in-person on the first day of the program Students will be given scripts and role details the week prior Participants may be cast in acting or technical/production roles Expression of interest required prior to acceptance Audition Registration: Expressions of interest open - May 15th, 2026 Close - June 12th, 2026 Formal registration and payment deadline - June 21st, 2026 Audition Pack: The Play Forge Audition Pack Performance Dates: Friday July 3rd, 2026 Performance Times: 7PM Performance Location: Phoenix Ensemble, Beenleigh Show Grounds, James St, Beenleigh QLD 4207 Rehearsal Dates: June 29th - July 3rd, 2026 (5-day intensive program) Rehearsal Times: 9AM - 3PM daily (final day includes technical rehearsal and evening performance) Rehearsal Location: Phoenix Ensemble, Beenleigh Show Grounds, James St, Beenleigh QLD 4207 Warnings: Intensive schedule over 5 consecutive days Final day includes full technical rehearsal and live performance Participation fee required ($200) Students must bring their own food each day Performer Age: Years 7–12 (high school students only; older students may be given preference) Creative Team: Director - Julianne Clinch Producer - Kym Brown Production Website: Phoenix Ensemble Other Information: Participants may take on both on-stage and technical roles Includes training in stagecraft, movement, voice, script work, and production skills Includes project t-shirt, scripts, and some costume/prop items Each participant receives one complimentary ticket to the final performance Limited places available; selection based on expression of interest Available Roles/Character Breakdown: Not specified in advance — roles are assigned during the first day of the program after auditions.

Title: The Pink Hammer Presented By: Ipswich Little Theatre Genre: Comedy / Drama Synopsis: Four very different women answer a flyer for “The Pink Hammer Workshop” — a ladies-only woodwork class. Expecting empowerment and sisterhood from tutor Maggie Taylor, they instead find Maggie missing in action. Maggie’s husband Woody is less than thrilled about a group of women invading his workshop, but he has little choice. As personalities clash and secrets emerge, the workshop becomes a journey of humour, healing, and unexpected connection. Audition Date: Monday June 8th, 2026 Audition Time: 7:30PM Audition Location and Address: Jean Pratt Building, Ipswich Little Theatre, 15 Burley Griffin Dr, Ipswich QLD 4305 Audition Requirements: Complete audition registration form Scripts and audition sides available from the director Applicants may outline previous acting experience Rehearsal availability required as part of registration Audition Registration: The Pink Hammer Audition Form Audition Pack: Scripts and/or audition sides available by contacting: Jim Orr Email: jimmyorr2654@gmail.com Mobile: 0402 377 258 Performance Dates: September 18th - October 3rd, 2026 Performance Location: Walter Burley Griffin Incinerator Theatre, 10A Milford Street, Ipswich QLD 4305 Rehearsal Times: Generally evenings during the week, with possible weekend rehearsals depending on cast availability. Rehearsal Location: Ipswich Little Theatre, 15 Burley Griffin Dr, Ipswich QLD 4305 Warnings: Themes of emotional trauma, separation, feminism, mortality, and adult relationships. Performer Age: Adult performers. Character age ranges approximately 30s–60s. Creative Team: Director - Jim Orr Assistant Director - Chris Austin-Greenhill Playwright - Michele Amas Production Website: Ipswich Little Theatre Other Information: Applicants do not need to be current financial members of ILT at the time of registration. Opportunities available to assist backstage or front of house if not cast. Available Roles/Character Breakdown: Annabel – Late 40s–50s. Counsellor in private practice and former feminist activist. Runs a Dickens book club. Wants to build a Victorian-style display cabinet for her Dickens collection. Louise – 50s. Nurse caring for her parents. Carries emotional trauma and is easily startled. Wants to build a small house someday. Helen – Late 50s–60s. Horse lover with two adult sons from different relationships. Independent and practical. Wants to build a coffin. Siobhan – 30s. Irish veterinary clinic worker secretly in love with a married vet. Wants to build a luxury dog kennel. Woody – 30s. Recently redundant carpenter separated from his wife Maggie. Gruff, practical, and out of his depth with the workshop participants. Wants to build a way to get the women out of his workshop.

Title: The Sweet Delilah Swim Club Presented By: Mates Theatre Genesis Genre: Comedy / Drama Synopsis: Five Southern women whose friendship began 20+ years ago on their college swim team set aside a long weekend every August to recharge those relationships. Free from husbands, kids and jobs, they meet at the same beach cottage, the “Sweet Delilah” on North Carolina’s Outer Banks to catch up, laugh, and meddle in each other’s lives. Audition Date: Sunday June 14th, 2026 Audition Time:10AM - 2PM Audition Location and Address: Birkdale School of Arts Hall, 101 Birkdale Rd, Birkdale QLD 4159 Audition Requirements: Audition will be via cold read of the script. No learning of lines required. Please note an attempt of the Southern American accent would be preferred. Audition Registration: Complete the audition form in the audition pack and email with recent headshot to info@matestg.org.au Audition Pack: Download the audition pack HERE Performance Dates: September 18th - 27th, 2026 Performance Times: September 18th, 19th, & 26th - 7:30PM September 27th - 2PM Performance Location: Birkdale School of Arts Hall, 101 Birkdale Rd, Birkdale QLD 4159 Rehearsal Dates: From June 21st, 2026 Tuesday & Thursday evenings Sunday daytime Rehearsal Times: Tuesdays & Thursdays - 7 - 9:30PM Sundays - 10AM - 4PM Rehearsal Location: Birkdale School of Arts Hall, 101 Birkdale Rd, Birkdale QLD 4159 Performer Age: 18+ Creative Team: Director - Jacqueline Kerr Playwrights - Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, Jamie Wooten Production Website: Mates Theatre Genesis Other Information: STAGEWORX Script Reading Sessions (optional and not a prerequisite for auditioning) Wednesday June 10th, 2026 - 1:30PM - 4PM Saturday June 13th, 2026 - 9AM - 11:30AM Location - Cleveland Library, Meeting Room 2 Free to attend and all welcome. Successful cast and crew members must be financial members of MATES. Membership fees are $20 per year, expiring on 30 September each year. Membership Fees for Members joining after 30 June, will be valid for the following year. Membership fees must be paid by the first rehearsal date. Our Membership team will be in contact with the successful performers/crew to arrange membership details & payment. Members enjoy opportunities to participate in productions, discounted entry to workshops and selected events, networking opportunities, news updates. All participants are covered by Voluntary Workers Personal Accident Insurance and are expected to comply with MATES' policies and Code of Conduct, available at our website: https://matestg.org.au/members/ Cast members and volunteers help source costume items/props (some can be borrowed by MATES) shoes and personal items such as makeup supplied by cast. This is an amateur theatre production. All cast & crew positions are unpaid roles. By accepting a place in this production, cast and crew members are committing to attend rehearsals, as well as publicity appearances, photo shoots or media calls as required. Casting decisions are made by the Director and MATES. Audition registrations are taken until our audition schedule is full. If you are successful in receiving an offer for this production, you will be expected to be available for rehearsals and performances on the schedule. Please list any conflicts with these dates on your audition form. Detailed rehearsal schedules are released periodically throughout the rehearsal process. Available Roles/Character Breakdown: Sheree Hollinger - The perennial team captain. Practical, supportive and a fount of boundless energy. Never without her to-do lists or pocket scheduler, her tendency to be hyper-organised occasionally drive her friends a bit crazy. She’s the eternal tomboy, a health nut and an all-American mom who lives in Raleigh, NC with her family. Dinah Grayson - The wise-cracking cynic of the group; she has fought her way to the top and relishes the view. A lawyer in the biggest and most prestigious law firm in Atlanta, Dinah excels at everything… except romance. Armed with a dry martini and an even drier sense of humour, Dinah seldom reveals her softer side as she tackles life head-on. Lexie Richards - From Chapel Hill, NC, she is the delightfully vain, youth-obsessed even planner from a chain of four-star hotels. She has never shied away from the occasional nip or tuck and keeps her cosmetic surgeon on speed dial. Always one to revel in her status as a man-magnet, Lexie can be counted on to share wild and hilarious tales of her romantic exploits. Jeri Neal Mcfeeley - The ditzy ray of sunshine of the group, she’s perky and naïve and always sees the positive side of everything. Having been a nun for many years, Jeri Neal has been protected from life’s seamier side. Even though she appears to be predictable on the surface, Jeri Neal, recently relocated to Roanoke, VA, continually makes life choices that surprise and amaze her friends. Vernadette Simms - She is a hard luck case if there ever was one. Marriage and motherhood came shortly after college, and a dark cloud has hovered above her ever since. A public-school teacher with limited finances and a problematic home life in Spivey’s Corner, NC, Vernadette is self-deprecating by necessity. She faces her tribulations with gallows humour and the unwavering support of these lifelong friends.

Title: Even Numbers Presented By: Footlights Theatrical Genre: One Act Play / Drama Synopsis: Mary-Ann has poisoned and killed five people and Doctor Vincent must make an assessment of her mental state for the court. In trying to establish whether she is insane or simply evil, a shocking truth is uncovered. Audition Date: May 30th, 2026 Audition Times: 10AM - 11AM 11:30AM - 12:30PM 1PM - 2PM Audition Location and Address: Footlights Studio, Wynnum Audition Requirements: Prepare a 1–2 minute monologue Cold read required at audition Audition Registration: Audition Registration Form Audition Pack: Even Numbers Audition Pack Performance Dates: Beenleigh Festival - July 31st – August 2nd, 2026 Ipswich Festival - August 7th - 9th, 2026 Toowoomba Festival - August 22nd - 23rd, 2026 KSP Festival - August 28th - 30th, 2026 Mousetrap Festival - September 18th - 20th, 2026 Performance Times: Festival schedules and call times to be advised by each festival in advance. Performance Location: Beenleigh, Queensland Ipswich, Queensland Toowoomba, Queensland KSP Festival, Queensland Mousetrap Festival, Queensland Rehearsal Location: Between Burpengary East and Wynnum West, Queensland. Warnings: Themes of murder, poisoning, psychological assessment, criminal behaviour, and mental health. Performer Age: 18+ recommended. Creative Team: Director - Sarah Ashby Other Information: Performers will only be required for the festival dates in which the play is scheduled to perform, not the entire festival weekends. Exact schedules and notices will be distributed by each festival closer to performance dates. Available Roles/Character Breakdown: Mary-Ann Twomey – Serial killer. Playing age 25+. Female-presenting. Dr Vincent – Psychiatrist assessing Mary-Ann’s mental state for court proceedings. Playing age 30+. Male-presenting. Ella Conway – Barrister involved in the case. Playing age 25+. Female-presenting.

Title: Community Choir: The Musical Presented By: Cheep Trills Genre: Community Musical Theatre / Comedy / Drama Synopsis: Community Choir: The Musical is a heartwarming and hilarious original musical set in Brisbane, following a quirky community choir accidentally invited to compete in Sydney’s prestigious National Choral Competition. As the choir navigates rivalries, personal struggles, hidden secrets, and song choices, the mysterious “Spirit of the Song” arrives to reveal their deepest truths and fears. Featuring humour, drama, and original music, the show explores themes of unity, love, healing, and self-discovery. Inspired by real stories from the Cheep Trill choir community, the production is proudly performed by local community members, with many performers appearing on stage for the very first time. Audition Dates: Lead Roles - Saturday May 30th, 2026 Mic’d Choir - Sunday May 31st, 2026 Dance Ensemble Workshops - Saturday May 30th, 2026 Sunday May 31st, 2026 Audition Times: Lead Roles - 9AM - 3PM Mic’d Choir - 9AM - 12:30PM Dance Ensemble: 30 May - 3PM - 4PM 31 May - 1PM - 2PM Audition Location and Address: Lead Roles & Dance Ensemble (May 30th): Enoggera, Brisbane Mic’d Choir & Dance Ensemble (May 31st): Camp Hill, Brisbane Audition Requirements: Lead role auditions for: Pete (Southside cast), Harriet (Northside cast), Judith (Northside cast) Mic’d Choir auditions available for Soprano, Alto, Tenor, and Bass performers Dance Ensemble audition consists of a workshop/class; no preparation required Community Choir roles are non-auditioned Flash Mob roles are non-auditioned/self-learning Must meet rehearsal and production availability requirements Audition Registration: Register to audition HERE Audition Pack: Community Choir: The Musical Audition Pack Performance Dates: Northside Cast - September 23rd & 25th, 2026 Southside Cast - September 24th & 26th, 2026 Performance Location: La Boite Theatre, 6 Musk Ave, Kelvin Grove QLD 4059 Rehearsal Dates: June–September 2026 (varies by cast and role type). Rehearsal Times: Weekly Choir Rehearsals: 6:30PM–8:30PM Additional weekend rehearsals and full-day mandatory rehearsals apply Production week rehearsals held during 22–26 September 2026 Rehearsal Location: Camp Hill, Brisbane Wavell Heights, Brisbane Nundah, Brisbane Morningside, Brisbane La Boite Theatre Warnings: Community theatre production; performers are unpaid Mandatory rehearsal attendance required Some rehearsal locations vary No plus-ones, children, or animals permitted unless approved support arrangements are made Long rehearsal and production days required during show week Performer Age:18+ unless accompanied in the same cast by a parent/guardian, in which case performers must be 14+. Creative Team: Direction & Choreography - Belinda Raisin Assistant Choreographer - Laura Purcell Northside Choir Director/Vocal Coach - Emma Dean Southside Choir Director/Music Director - Tony Dean Production Website: Cheep Trills - Community Choir: The Musical Other Information: 11 original songs including a brand-new number Approximate runtime: 80–90 minutes with no interval Production features: 9 lead roles 8-person Mic’d Choir Dance Ensemble 100+ member choir Flash mobs Two casts: Southside and Northside Brisbane Participation fees apply: Choir - $387 Mic’d Choir - $417 Lead Roles - $470 Flash Mob - $110–$160 Financial assistance available through the “Pay It Forward” initiative Available Roles/Character Breakdown: Lead Roles Available: Judith (Northside Cast) – Female-presenting/Femme, middle-aged. Conservative outwardly but deeply passionate underneath. Crushing on fellow choir member Johnno. Strong comedic and emotional role with lead vocals in two songs. Harriet (Northside Cast) – Female-presenting/Femme. Recently divorced, confident but emotionally rebuilding. Features lead vocals in one song plus solo and harmony work. Pete (Southside Cast) – Male-presenting/Masc. Quiet, grieving father reconnecting with music after the loss of his son. Emotional dramatic role with lead vocals in one song. Additional Casting Opportunities: Mic’d Choir (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) Featured “Fake Bernard” solo moment Dance Ensemble Non-auditioned Community Choir Flash Mob Performers

Chicago: Teen Edition Presented by: Sky Youth Theatre Director: Tahnee Svensk Creative Director: Shelley Wilson Music Director: Cyndi Braeuer Choreographer: Jade Wilson Sound: Tim Pitchford Lighting: TLD Event Creation Costumes: Shelley Wilson, Jess Middler Prop Design: Shelley Wilson, Tahnee Svensk Hair and Makeup: Bek Evans, Jess Middler, Krystle Brant Photography: Alex Darvell I don't know who looked at Chicago and thought, “Yes, let’s give that to a youth theatre!” but after seeing Sky Youth Theatre’s Chicago: Teen Edition, I understood the logic. Because if you've got a troupe of young performers who can dance like this, you might as well give them something to perform with bite! Chicago: Teen Edition is a specially adapted version of the Kander and Ebb musical, tailored for teen performers while keeping most of the story, music, and Bob Fosse style intact. Directed by Tahnee Svensk, with Shelley Wilson as Creative Director, Cyndi Braeuer as Music Director, and choreography by Jade Wilson, this production knew what its cast could do and gave them room to do it. Robina Community Centre is quite expansive. The team used the stage, floor, platforms, and cabaret tables to integrate the entire room into the show. I especially liked the spotlighted dancer moments during "All That Jazz", like little glitzy flashes popping up around the room. It gave us in the audience the sense that we had wandered into a dangerous vaudeville club, feeling slightly complicit from our seats. The role of Velma Kelly was shared by Zahli West and Jessica Turnbull, with West performing the day I attended. She had a still, watchful quality perfect for Velma, using her lower register effectively, speaking confidently, and showcasing impressive acrobatic moves. She gave Velma the cool attitude and self-assuredness the role needs. Her voice also deserves high praise, especially considering how much movement she had to get through. Pulling off I" Can't Do It Alone" while dancing, kicking, cartwheeling, and pretending none of it is hard is on another level. Yet she appeared completely at home in the choreography. I get out of breath just walking up the QPAC stairs, so I do not say that lightly. As Roxie Hart, Alannah Maguire shared the role with Evie Edwards. I caught Maguire's performance, and she gave one of my favourite vocal performances of the show. Her rendition of "Funny Honey" showed off a gorgeous tone, with excellent clarity and control for her age. She also had some wonderful comic moments, particularly in "Both Reached for the Gun", where her puppet-like facial expressions were spot-on. There were moments where her dialogue could have slowed down slightly, and she was occasionally still finding full ease in the heels, but she had a voice that really cut through and that bright little spark Roxie needs. Roxie is basically theatre-kid with a murder charge, and Maguire understood the assignment. Harrison Salter rocked the role of the smooth-talking Billy Flynn, shining extra bright in "Both Reached for the Gun". That number is a real juggling act of timing, vocals, character, and comedy, but he kept all those plates spinning, finishing with a terrific final belt. Kudos to his showgirls too for their killer heel work; their skill reflects their training, as ankles are delicate and the stage can be hazardous! Xavier O’Brien brought a sweet face and beautiful voice to Amos Hart for "Mister Cellophane", with a natural warmth that suited the role. Minnie Bangay had great fun as Mama Morton, with her big belt, growl, and plenty of brass showcased in "When You're Good to Mama", making it clear who was in charge. Hayley Morris was lovely as Mary Sunshine, offering a delicate and steady soprano that gave the show a different vocal colour during "A Little Bit of Good". The Merry Murderesses, Emily Stevens, Hannah Basile, Macey Whelan, Olivia Maslen, and Tilly Fraser, made "Cell Block Tango" into the show’s pièce de résistance. The staging worked well, the choreography had edge, and keeping the vocals going through that much movement is no small thing. I wanted just a little more fury behind the eyes, because these women are, after all, explaining murder through dance. That said, the number already had sizzling fire. Just a little more “he had it coming” rage and it would have really cooked. There were some awesome staging ideas throughout the show. "Roxie" looked amazing, with Maguire rocking a gold flapper dress, lying on a revolving platform surrounded by mirrors, while four male performers framed the scene. Exactly the kind of ridiculous self-worship Roxie would approve of. The trial scene was genuinely hilarious, with the cast really embracing the absurdity. I also loved seeing the ensemble join in for "Hot Honey Rag." It turned the finale into a celebration for the whole cast, not just a final duet. With double casting across the two leading roles, I saw Zahli West as Velma and Alannah Maguire as Roxie, and both gave performances worth celebrating. I have no doubt the alternate cast brought their own strengths to the roles too, which is one of the joys of youth theatre when double casting is used well. What impressed me most about this cast was how well they moved. Many of them appeared to be dancers first, yet their vocal work was evidently well-trained. "Razzle Dazzle" had a lot going on, with sparkly b&w leotards, circus tricks, acrobatics, green/purple lighting, and a starry backdrop. The staging was exceptional, though it needed a little more vocal punch, as there were some breathier moments coming through from the ensemble on and off stage. A few dancers also slipped into "concentration face", which makes total sense with everything going on, but in Chicago, the face is very much part of the choreograph. Fosse is not just about dancing. The wrists are doing one thing, the hips are doing another, and the eyes need to be scheming too. The more I watched, the more the choice of Chicago: Teen Edition made sense for this company. We all know youth theatre has an abundance of girls, and this show actually gave them something substantial to do. It gave space to featured ensemble moments, dance breaks, and character roles without forcing the cast into material that did not suit them. Even with the teen edits, this was still very much Chicago. Visually, the production had plenty to enjoy too. The cell block set was clever and versatile, the music tracks were great, and the lighting by TLD Event Creation helped shape the mood of numbers, especially "Cell Block Tango" and "Razzle Dazzle." The costumes by Shelley Wilson and Jess Middler leaned into flapper shapes, sparkle, fringe, and darkness, while hair and makeup by Bek Evans, Jess Middler, and Krystle Brant gave the cast a cohesive and mature stage look. My one personal quibble was Roxie’s black prison ensemble, which looked beautiful on Alannah Maguire but felt less period-appropriate than the rest of the design. The lace and leather combo felt a little more like clubbing in 2010 than vaudeville vixen to me (sorry!) There were only a few technical bumps, including some missed mic cues and occasional offstage whispering that carried into the audience. Still, what I kept coming back to was the confidence. These young performers tackled a show that asks for stamina, timing, comedy, bold vocals, American accents, heels, and Fosse moves, often all at once. They also did it while working with tracks rather than a live conductor, which takes real focus. Because the track is going where the track is going, and you either keep up or get left behind in jazz jail. Sky Youth Theatre’s Chicago: Teen Edition gave the dancers room to move, the singers room to show off, and the ensemble plenty to do beyond simply filling the stage. For a youth production, this was no tentative little razzle dazzle. It had scale, humour, attitude, and a whole lot of Fosse flair.

Six Characters in Search of an Author Ad Astra Theatre Company Playwright: Luigi Pirandello Director: Heidi Gledhill Assistant Director: Colin W. Smith Dramaturg: Desley Martin Costume Design: Helena Trupp Makeup: Cherie McCaffery Sound Design & Composer: Tommi Civilli Lighting Design: Noah Milne Choreographer: Cherie McCaffery Composer: Lucinda Shaw “See us live out our drama.” That line sums up the strange, unsettling bargain Luigi Pirandello asks of his audience. Six abandoned 'Characters' appear at a theatre with an unfinished story, insisting it be told. They do not ask politely. They interrupt a rehearsal, unsettle the room, and drag everyone around them into their family drama. Written way back in 1921, Six Characters in Search of an Author is considered one of the great meta-theatrical works. It is philosophical, existential, intentionally unstable, and extremely wordy. This is not a play that holds your hand and guides you. In fact, it seems to snatch your hand away, stare into the distance, and then launch into another monologue about the nature of truth... The production begins with the stage arranged as a deliberately practical rehearsal area. A white curtain hangs at the back, with a ladder, upright piano, some furniture, and crew members bustling. Before the show even officially begins, we get a peek into the backstage shenanigans with the cast shaking their collective thang to No Scrubs, which makes the later arrival of the grief-stricken Characters seem even more surreal. Dressed in vintage black clothing, with ghostly makeup and a sombre stillness, they look as though they have wandered in from a family crypt in another century. The Director, played by Jonty Hansen, reacts with the exact kind of “what on earth is happening here?” energy I imagine most directors would have if six randoms waltzed into a closed rehearsal and demanded stage time. Hansen brings a wonderfully sassy impatience to the role, giving the Director both comic bite and mounting frustration. That practical exasperation gives the audience something to hold onto. As the Director tries to make sense of the Characters’ demands, Hansen becomes a necessary anchor, balancing disbelief, ego, curiosity, and irritation. His line, “This is all just talk,” landed particularly well, partly because by that point, yes, it very much was. As the Father, Gregory J Wilken has the densest and most verbose material in the play. His character spends much of the show explaining, defending, and reframing himself, as though he might be able to talk his way into redemption if given enough time. Wilken gives weight to that moral discomfort. There is always something uneasy sitting underneath the performance, leaving us unsure whether we are watching a guilty man, a grieving man, or someone who simply needs his version of events to be believed. His performance is impressive, even when the language itself becomes hard to follow. Davis Dingle as the Son brings restraint and tension to a role that could easily disappear beside the louder grief and outrage around him. His presence is notable because he resists the family drama rather than feeding it. That resistance gives the production some of its strongest dramatic friction. Alongside Hansen and Wilken, Dingle helps form a compelling trio of male performances, each representing a different kind of control slowly slipping away. In the role of the Step-Daughter, Emma Kidd brings a burst of volume, vibrancy, and complete chaos to the stage. She refuses to sit neatly within the story, constantly thrusting herself into the spotlight, disrupting, provoking, and demanding that her version of events be heard. Kidd captures the Step-Daughter’s fierce insistence that her truth will not be softened, rewritten, or filtered. This unpredictability sharply contrasts the more subdued nature of the other Characters. There is anger in her performance, but also pain, humour, and a need to take back control of a story that has clearly been told around her, rather than by her. Anna Loren gives the Mother a mournful, haunted quality, existing largely in grief and shame. The two silent children, played by Auden Ryan / Hank Steele and Ammi Johnson / Tia Godbold, add to the uneasy atmosphere simply by being there. Their silence makes them feel more like symbols than children, which suits the strange purgatorial quality of the piece. And then there is Lucinda Shaw as Madame Pace, who arrives like a gypsy diva from another planet. Her costume is fabulous, her presence is deliciously heightened, and her appearance injects a jolt of colour and theatrical excess into the otherwise shadowy world of the Characters. The wider acting troupe, including Jules Berry, Nathan Turner, Frankie Kershaw, Yianni Sines, Carmen O’Connell, Stella Peterson, Alex Flew, Cherie McCaffery, Brock O’Rourke, Grace Swadling, and Liam Olsen, create the necessary contrast between theatrical artifice and lived drama. Their disbelief, ridicule, and gradual absorption into the story help frame the central conflict of the play. The actors within the play watch, judge, imitate, and attempt to reproduce what the Characters insist can never truly be reproduced. I know this is the whole point of the show, but truly, what an actor’s worst nightmare! Imagine trying to rehearse while the character you are playing suddenly comes alive, walks into the room, and starts critiquing your interpretation. Actors already have directors, dramaturgs, reviewers, and their own inner critic to contend with. Director Heidi Gledhill embraces this absurdist side of the work. She places the audience right in the middle of this family squabble that is part rehearsal, part ghost story, and part existential fever dream. The use of silhouette behind the white curtain is one of the production’s stronger visual choices, giving the Characters an otherworldly quality during their attempts to be made real. Technically, the production is intentionally bare. The lighting design by Noah Milne offers some colour work during the staged “scenes”, but for much of the production, the stage remains plainly lit. I can see the logic in preserving the rehearsal-room reality. But for a play so concerned with blurred realities, I did find myself wanting more visual shaping as the world of the Characters began to intrude. Tommi Civilli’s sound design supports the production’s eerie atmosphere well. The sombre underscoring on the piano adds to the atmosphere, with morbid music often accompanying the Characters as they dramatically contemplate their existence. Still, the production’s greatest challenge remains the script itself. Pirandello’s language, translated from Italian, is dense, cerebral, and often repetitive by modern standards. The play somehow manages to feel both fast and slow: fast in the amount of information being thrown at us, and slow in the time it takes to comprehend it. For me, this was a production full of skilled actors in a play I admired more than I enjoyed. That distinction is important. I can definitely appreciate the craft, the performances, the ideas, and the ambition, while also recognising that the script sat outside my personal theatrical taste. The Characters argue that their truth is urgent and undeniable, but I did not always feel absorbed by that truth. At times, the Actors on stage seemed far more drawn into the story than I was as an audience member. I could understand the stakes on an intellectual level, but emotionally, the play often left me feeling a bit detached and distanced. Still, this is a worthy and challenging undertaking by Ad Astra. Six Characters in Search of an Author is not light entertainment, nor is it trying to be. It is a strange, self-aware puzzle about performance, memory, authorship, and the human need to be seen. It asks big questions about whether fiction can be more permanent than reality, whether actors can ever fully embody another person’s pain, and whether being witnessed is the closest thing to resolution some stories ever receive. This production is best suited to drama lovers, passionate playwrights, frustrated directors, theatre theorists, and anyone who enjoys leaving a show with more questions than answers. It may not be for audiences seeking emotional ease or narrative simplicity, but for those who enjoy philosophical theatre with an absurdist edge, there is plenty here to chew on. It went over my head in places. But it was performed with conviction, staged with clear respect for the material, and led by a cast who understood the strange machinery of these Characters: trapped in the theatre, trapped in their story, and desperate for someone to listen.

Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution Presented by VOX Productions at Metro Arts Director / Producer: Nicky Whichelow Co-Director: Adelle O’Connell Stage Manager: Hazel Evans Lighting Designer: Thomas Ranie Sound Designer: Zoe Power Props Master: Toni Spry Set Design: Scott Lymbery and Nic Scotney Agatha Christie knows exactly how to make an audience start silently accusing everyone on stage. With Witness for the Prosecution, VOX Productions transports us to 1950s London, a world of propriety and secrets. This courtroom drama is built on questions, contradictions, and the unsettling realisation that truth is only as reliable as the person telling it. The play follows Leonard Vole, a young man accused of murdering a wealthy older woman. As his legal team attempts to prove his innocence, the case becomes increasingly tangled by unreliable testimony, murky motives, and the involvement of Leonard’s wife, Romaine, whose evidence threatens to unravel everything. Presented at Metro Arts, this production is directed and produced by Nicky Whichelow, with Adelle O’Connell as co-director. Christie’s mysterious world feels formal and contained, with the audience placed firmly in the position of the jury, watching each witness and wondering who the hell is telling the truth. The pacing follows the natural rhythm of a courtroom: ask, answer, object, reconsider, and then doubt everything. Even during the preview performance, where the cast occasionally stumbled over lines, the story maintained its grip. As Leonard Vole, Reagan Warner delivers another distinctive performance from his growing catalogue of versatile roles. Here, he is a jittery British chap in a sweater-vest and bowtie, breathlessly over-explaining everything. It made me want to reach across the room and whisper, “Please, for the love of the legal system, stop talking!” His scenes keep you unsettled as Leonard rambles, blurts things out, and only digs himself deeper with each attempt to help his own case. Leonard could be either an innocent yet naïve victim of an unfortunate coincidence or a cunning liar who knows exactly how to play the innocent; Warner's performance makes both scenarios equally believable. David Hill gives Sir Wilfrid Robarts the composed authority of a man who has spent years untangling people’s messes for a living. Paul Hynes complements him well as Mr. Mayhew, a smart, sharply dressed solicitor with an air of professional concern. Together, they form an unflappable legal duo, always striving to stay one step ahead of everything. Across the courtroom, Luke Friedman stands out as Mr. Myers, giving the prosecuting barrister a biting energy and a streak of sass. His delivery carries a sly theatricality, as though every pointed phrase has been sharpened and presented on a silver tray. Wayne Hinton lends The Judge an iconic vocal quality, with shades of Churchill in his command, weight, and old-school authority. As Romaine Heilger Vole, Sandy Adsett is excellent. She speaks like an Eastern European spy — calm, swift, and ruthlessly straightforward. There are no hysterics, no theatrical pleading, no easy emotional cues for the audience to cling to. Instead, her poker face is her superpower. On the stand, with her eyes lowered, Adsett portrays both layers: Romaine as a witness providing evidence and Romaine as a witness potentially acting. This story is about the witness... not the victim, or the prisoner, or barrister in the fancy wig. The supporting cast fills out Christie’s world with strong character detail. Toby Chittenden is wonderfully apt as Inspector Hearne, the classic Cockney copper of 1950s Scotland Yard. David Scholes makes the most of every moment as Dr. Wyatt, intentionally stammering his way through testimony and cross-examination with enjoyable specificity. Liz Hull brings Janet Mackenzie to life with a thick character accent and her nose held high. Among the polished legal men, she feels practical, watchful, and entirely capable of holding her own. John Grey brings neat comic precision to Mr. Carter, making his particular habits and orderliness amusing without letting them take over the scene. Kailan Tyler-Moss is bright and starry-eyed as Greta, offering a lovely contrast to the very serious legal minds around her. Kip Jeffree gives the courtroom its sense of ritual and order as the Court Clerk, while Marisa Bucolo adds another shadowy thread to the mystery in an ambiguous role that reminds us that, in Christie’s world, nobody appears without a reason. The design keeps the production functional and clear. Scott Lymbery and Nic Scotney’s set moves between the law office and courtroom with simple, recognisable pieces, including a faux fireplace for the chambers and courtroom benches that quickly place us in the formal world of British justice. It does not overcomplicate the space, which is wise for a text-driven play where the real spectacle is the evidence being rearranged in front of us. Thomas Ranie’s lighting design helps separate the shifts between private legal conversation and public courtroom scrutiny. Zoe Power’s sound design adds a thoughtful layer of atmosphere, particularly through the jazzy pre-show and transition music. At the preview, some of the sound effects sat too loudly in the mix, but the team seemed immediately aware of this. The added audience reaction effects are also less necessary, particularly because we are directly addressed as the jury and the real audience is already reacting plenty. Christie’s twists do not need help landing. What is especially interesting watching Witness for the Prosecution now is how much the play reveals about the assumptions of its own world. Evidence is harder to ascertain. Reputation carries enormous weight. Nationality, wealth, gender, and perceived respectability all influence how characters are judged before they have even started speaking. Prejudice sits clearly in the room without flattening the play into a lecture. Instead, it becomes part of the machinery of the mystery. Who is believed? Who is dismissed? Having not seen an Agatha Christie in some time (and this being only my fourth Christie play overall), Witness for the Prosecution reaffirms why her work remains so theatrically satisfying. It is not just about the twists. I adore her wit, her humour, and her ability to make every answer feel like the beginning of another question. Witness for the Prosecution is a slippery courtroom drama where loyalty is questionable, prejudice sits uncomfortably close to justice, and truth depends entirely on who is holding the floor. VOX Productions gives Christie’s classic mystery a confident staging, a strong ensemble, and central performances that keep the audience guessing right up to the final turn.

The Female of the Species 7 – 16 May 2026 Written by Joanna Murray-Smith Produced by Cut and Run Productions as a co-production with PIP Theatre Director – Lara Rix Assistant Director – Aoife Kissane Stage Manager & Sound Designer – Hannah Page Lighting Designer – Claire Yorston Costume Designer – Kiah Latham Photography - Jasmine Prasser "Women want two things from a man: fantastic foreplay and doing the tax." Never meet your heroes. Especially if you intend to bring a gun and turn their peaceful countryside writing getaway into a feminist hostage situation with a side of family therapy. Joanna Murray-Smith’s The Female of the Species is a satirical comedy about feminism, fame, motherhood, ego, and the disconnect between the values we preach and the lives we actually lead. Staged in 2008 by Queensland Theatre Company, Cut & Run Productions and PIP Theatre revives it with an entertainingly bold approach. Inspired loosely by Germaine Greer's real-life incident of being held at gunpoint by a student, the play centres on famous feminist writer Margot Mason (hello alliteration!), who is struggling with a spectacular bout of writer’s block. Known for her provocative persona and intellectual fearlessness, Margot’s carefully curated authority begins to crack when former student Molly Rivers visits her home with a gun and a very personal grievance. Molly blames Margot’s notorious book, The Cerebral Vagina, for her mother’s death, and what begins as a confrontation between idol and devotee quickly escalates into a farcical reckoning. From there, more characters are unlocked: Margot’s exhausted daughter Tess barges in, looking like she just survivd a toddler apocalypse, and immediately jumps to the conclusion that her mum is having a Fifty Shades moment with the handcuffs. Hot on her heels is her bewildered husband Bryan. Then comes Frank, a disgruntled Uber driver with grievances of his own, and finally Theo, Margot’s publisher, who appears as if summoned by the scent of drama. Having originally appeared in QTC's 2008 production as Molly Rivers, Francesca Savige now comes full circle by stepping into the slippers of Margot Mason. Her Margot is a cocktail of eloquence, vanity, bluntness, drama, and just a tad bonkers. Even when her blocking is restricted by handcuffs, Savige fills the room with undeniable presence. She has a terrific grip on Murray-Smith’s language, tossing out Margot’s interruptions and declarations with the confidence of a lecturer who expects the room to take notes. Her lines are delivered with such pristine self-importance that it makes you want to both applaud her and confiscate her fountain pen. She is insufferable in the most entertaining way, but Savige also lets us glimpse the panic beneath the polish. When Margot admits, “What if I’ve said all I have to say?”, the legendary provocateur is simply a writer facing the scary possibility that her well of inspiration has run dry. Michaela Faux is fantastic as Molly Rivers, the former student whose admiration for Margot has curdled into something dangerous. Molly just shows up unannounced, fawning and chatting as though she and Margot are old friends. She is clearly volatile, but also oddly sweet, awkward, intelligent, and far less certain than her plan suggests. She quotes Margot back to herself like scripture, carrying fanatical reverence and traumatic grief in the same breath. Because beneath the chaos is a wounded young woman trying to make sense of her mother’s abandonment, death, and the damage left behind. What I enjoyed most is how Molly becomes strangely absorbed into this household dynamic, becoming a mix of captor and accidental emotional support. Rebecca Day is an absolute hoot to watch as Tess, Margot’s 'oops' daughter, whose entrance sends the play into a different but equally frantic gear. Tess arrives already frazzled, having fled the overstimulating noise of her three young tornadoes only to get stuck in an Uber with a guy telling her his life story. I kept catching myself watching her antics in the background of every scene. Her line, “I am an exhausted, miserable woman with a question mark at the centre of my identity,” captures the ache beneath all that theatrical exasperation. This is a woman drowning in domestic mayhem, desperate to be seen as more than everyone else's problem-solver. The trio of women is especially strong together. Savige, Faux, and Day bounce off each other with fantastic rhythm, forming a strange little triangle of ego, grief, resentment, admiration, and shared female fatigue. As Bryan, Josh Whitten quickly becomes a personal favourite. Bryan could easily be played as a standard clueless husband, but Whitten adds a sincerity that makes him deeply endearing. He has the energy of a man trying politely to catch a train that has already left the station. What makes Whitten so hilarious is that Bryan keeps trying to be helpful in the most Bryan way possible. In a room full of people using theory, trauma, and resentment as weapons, Bryan's gentle nature is a refreshing little pocket of softness. Peter Hatton brings a another whirlwind of energy as Frank, the Uber driver who's fed up with life, feminists, older folks, and anything else that annoys him. Frank’s entrance widens the play’s argument beyond Margot’s family and into a broader social shouting match. He bursts in with barely a blink at the hostage situation, as though walking into a room with a gun, handcuffs, and several emotionally unstable strangers is simply another day in customer service. He has the passion of a man who has been waiting for an audience and, unfortunately for everyone, has finally found one. Then Danny Brown arrives as Theo, Margot’s publisher, who lives for the drama, partly because he knows it might help sell books. Margot has not been answering his calls. Rude of her, really, considering she is only handcuffed to a table in an armed confrontation. Theo exudes the energy of a man who hears the word “hostage” and thinks “networking opportunity.” Brown gives him a sparkling theatricality, but keeps the observations sharp and the timing crisp. Together, the cast gives the play its engine. These are experienced performers who know how to handle Murray-Smith’s pace, wit, and sudden pivots with ease. It is farce, debate, family therapy, identity crisis, and intellectual cage fight all at once. Under Lara Rix’s direction, the production moves like a pressure cooker: tightly contained, rapidly heating, and always one careless moment away from blowing its lid. Rix keeps the debate intelligent without ever letting it become dry. The comedy waltzes between physical, verbal, and situational absurdity. The endless game of hot potato with the gun and handcuffs is one of the funniest devices of the show for me; like a pass-the-parcel where the prize is potential legal consequences. The staging also makes clever use of proximity. With the audience seated on two sides, we are close enough to catch the smallest reactions and shifts in power. This suits the play beautifully, because so much of the comedy lives in watching people recalibrate in real time: who has the gun, who has the moral high ground, who is winning the argument, and who has just made everything worse? The set places us inside Margot Mason’s world: a towering wall of bookshelves filled with hundreds of colour-coded books. It is beautiful, imposing, and I totally want it. Margot’s country home screams intellctual uperiority, telling us exactly who she is before she even opens her mouth. This is not just a home; it is a shrine to her own brilliance. Sound and lighting are meticulously timed throughout, particularly the bursts of red that heighten the danger at just the right times. What makes this production so enjoyable is that it understands the play is not really asking us to crown one correct person. Everyone is offloading onto each other. Everyone has a point. And everyone's also being completely ridiculous. Margot has built a career on provocation but flounders when provoked. Molly wants justice but really, I think she is just lonely. Tess wants to be understood but does not even understand herself. Bryan is trying to help but cannot fully read the room. Frank is looking for someone to listen. Theo wants to save his own arse. The result is a theatrical pile-up of ideology, ego, gender politics, generational trauma, and brilliant one-liners. Murray-Smith’s script is packed with killer dialogue, and this cast delivers it with terrific clarity and rhythm. It explores what happens when feminism becomes a brand, when motherhood becomes an identity crisis, when grief searches for a villain to blame, and when public thinkers are treated as personal prophets. It is satire with claws, but this production keeps it fun rather than didactic. Cut & Run Productions delivers a lively, intelligent, and completely hilarious revival of The Female of the Species. It is performed by a cast who clearly relish the script’s wit and absurdity, and the whole thing is directed with a great sense of humour and humanity. The ending is a banger, and I will not spoil it, except to say that the play knows exactly when to pull one final rug.

Home in the Sun – Backdock Arts Writers: Aimee Tacon, Joe Lord, Ethan Irvine Composers: Bridie Middleton, Veronica Netya Dramaturg: Harrison Port Photography: Ronan Leahy (ClubEleven Media) and Felix Smith Cast & Musicians: Ethan Irvine – The Gardener Aimee Tacon – The Agent Harrison Port – Edmund / The Son (piano) Veronica Netya – Maggie / The Writer (guitar) Alisha Milne – The Bug Collector / Edith (thumb piano + more) Ellie Johnson – Alice / Rose (ukulele + more) “May our roots support and sustain us, and may we see new light with each passing day.” Home in the Sun is a lovingly crafted, collaborative project by writers Aimee Tacon, Joe Lord, and Ethan Irvine. First developed for the QUT Potentia Festival, this piece blends live music with group storytelling to create something truly special. In the yard of an old Queenslander, a gentle gardener is tending to his bulbs, deeply attuned to the sounds of the land he cherishes. But when a real estate agent shows up to assess the property's value, that harmony is disrupted. As the two gradually warm up to each other, the house begins to reveal its past. Home in the Sun welcomes everyone past the front gate, where history comes alive, and the love for people, places, and memories bloom. As soon as I walked into the space at Backdock Arts, I noticed how thoughtfully everything was put together. The whole space had this inviting warmth as you walked through the set and past the picket fence to reach your seat. The warm lamps cast a cozy glow on the rusted tin walls, a wheelbarrow filled with soil and plants sat waiting. It perfectly set the mood for a show that encourages you to slow down and really soak it all in. It felt less like entering a theatre and more like stepping into someone else’s memory. We meet the gardener (Ethan Irvine), a gentle figure who is always humming softly. Then the agent (Aimee Tacon) arrives with her brisk, transactional demeanor cutting straight through that tranquility. And their debate on the 'value' of the place begins. The house starts telling its story through a series of beautifully woven vignettes. We are transported through time, spanning from the 1840s to now, meeting the inhabitants who once filled its walls with life: a passionate girl guide, a young couple finding their rhythm in marriage and poverty, a theatrical outsider observing the world from the street, a writer searching for a purpose, and a group of laundry girls finding connection in routine. Each story feels like a memory that's been unearthed and tenderly placed in our hands. What really elevates this piece is how integrated the music and sound are within the storytelling, Composed by Bridie Middleton and Veronica Netya. Veronica's guitar is impossibly soothing, and Harrison Port’s piano threads emotion through every scene, particularly in the delicate arpeggios that carry us between moments. The live foley creates an ASMR-like, transportive soundscape: A phone ring, a small rain stick, the layering of thumb piano, ukulele, and subtle percussion all combine to create something handcrafted and intimate. Visually, the world is just as evocative in sensory richness. The ensemble moves through time with subtle costume additions over their white base, while the set remains constant, like a steady witness to decades of life. Twinkle lights glow softly overhead, a picket fence frames the space, and every prop appears aged and well-used. Performance-wise, the cast works with beautiful cohesion, constantly observing and reacting from their upstage positions, never dropping their connection to the story. Ethan's gardener is sincere, anchoring the piece with a grounded, patient presence. Aimee's agent is a standout, beginning brisk, disconnected, and bound by time. Their scenes carry some of the work’s strongest ideas, particularly around the “luxury of time.” When she admits, “my day doesn’t belong to me,” it lands with a quiet weight. Watching him guide her, not just through the garden but towards stillness, becomes one of the most satisfying threads of the piece. The bug collector (Alisha Milne) brings a burst of energy and childlike curiosity, drawing clever parallels between family structures and ant colonies with vivid enthusiasm. Harrison shifts convincingly between two very different character portrayals, while also anchoring the musical landscape at the piano. Veronica easily juggles being a musician and performer, her presence steady and calming within the world. Ellie Johnson is particularly sweet as the young wife, capturing the quiet care and tenderness of those domestic moments with simplicity. There is something in this piece that reaches beyond the space it’s currently in. The sensory detail is already strong, but I would be very curious to see this work in a more open, natural environment, perhaps an outdoor setting with the audience seated on picnic blankets to lean further into the connection with land, smell, and atmosphere. The cast are well suited to this material, and the piece sits comfortably in its one-act length, allowing each scene the space it needs without dragging on. It is a thoughtful, cohesive work with a clear sense of care behind it, making it a lovely fit for a festival setting like Anywhere Festival. Home in the Sun is about the value we place on spaces and the lives lived within them. It suggests that true worth isn’t found in market price, but the memories, the time spent, and the experiences we gather there. As someone constantly rushing between shows, rehearsals, and work, this was a nice reminder to slow down, to listen, and actually enjoy the spaces that matter most. For me, it lands as a peaceful exhale. Thank you to the team for allowing me to attend your final performance.