As we enter the theatre, an actor in boxers, a singlet, and a sleeveless tuxedo top is already on stage, catching our attention with a scientific riddle and collecting our answers as we take our seats. When the lights focus on them, the show officially begins, the riddle now in the hands of two figures we come to know as Lewis (Tweezers) and Tonsils, our excitable and endearing narrator.
The set, designed by Bella Saltearn, is deceptively simple; vintage wallpaper, a small corner kitchenette, two chairs off to the side. It grounds us in a space that slips gently through times, ages, and memories.
Early on, we’re warned something terrible will happen in eight minutes, setting an urgent emotional pace for Tonsils as they try to save Lewis from whatever fate lies ahead.
Max and Beth enter as narrative threads of their own. Their present-day scenes (preparing to perform Macbeth) become a vehicle for reflecting on the past. Gradually, it’s revealed that Max was one of the “Fountain Boys,” childhood bullies of Lewis and Tonsils.
Matthew Phillips’ tightly orchestrated sound design, paired with Poppy Townsend’s nuanced lighting, adds immense texture. What seems simple at first quickly reveals itself to be intricately timed, every shadow and flicker purposeful, especially as moments of puppetry and shadowplay appear.
Lia T’s delicate compositions, together with handmade props and playful visual touches, bring a sense of whimsy that keeps us laughing even as the story edges toward heartbreak.
This is part of the emotional rollercoaster of this piece; you go from belly laughs to a shocked silence, or deep tenderness in moments. This is the show’s quiet brilliance, sustained by an exceptional ensemble. Ariyan Sharma, as Tonsils, fills every inch of the space with captivating energy, never losing the thread even through unexpected moments (a broken glass in the audience doesn’t faze Ariyan for a second). Caitlin Green and Toby Carey offer depth and grounded humour, while Victor Y Z Xu’s performance as Lewis is a slow-build ache, leaving more than a few of us wiping away tears by their powerful performance in the final moments of the play.
Lucy Rossen’s direction is thoughtful, playful, and deeply human. Lucy navigates Will O’Mahony’s script with care, finding the humour within the heaviness and the truth within the surreal. Tonsils + Tweezers is a darkly funny and haunting exploration of friendship, grief, and the fragile membrane between imagination and reality.
There is a reference to how Macbeth is known as “A tragedy of the imagination…” and this is clearly drawing a correlation between Macbeth and Tonsils + Tweezers. We are seeing what happens when the veil between reality and imagination is held together by the flimsiest thread.
It’s deep themes, and hard subjects are not for everyone but it was truly enjoyable from start to finish, and relatable on so many levels (some you wouldn’t want to share with most people). It was light, painful and incredibly touching all at once. It will leave you tender but grateful.
To book tickets to Tonsils + Tweezers, please visit https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/tonsils-tweezers.
Photographer: Nicholas Warrand
