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The Waiting Room

28/10/202628/10/2026 Chantal Harrison Writer🥈🎭😂

The Waiting Room Rating

★★★★★

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No BAD Theatre Co. have got a great team together for this show, with the welcomes beginning as you come up the stairs. A heartfelt intro from BAFTA award-winning writer and director Mike Bullen put us all in good spirits and ready to go.

The programme is presented as a service of thanksgiving and celebration for Francis “Frank” Whitby, which is a delightful bit of scene-setting before you even take your seat. Maggie Bullen’s set design, with its drawn background and home decor with hospital additions, is perfect for the Mona Vale Performance Space. The stage limitations have been used as an opportunity to be creative, and it works beautifully with the breaking of the fourth wall that occurs throughout the play.

Willow Salgo leads the light and sound design with real competence and imagination, supported by Thomas Van Der Plaat, Tully Poppleton and Sophie Elliott. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Willow and Thomas at Northern Beaches Youth Theatre, so it was a particular delight to see the whole team at work here. The lighting choices are notably clever throughout; the follow spot on Frank as he almost enters the audience is a highlight, drawing us into his perspective in a way that feels both playful and intimate.

We establish that Frank, played by Julian Pulvermacher, is in a coma since his second stroke, and his nurse has called his four children to say their goodbyes. Magda, played by Ewa Sliter Vel Szreter, is caring and attentive to Frank’s needs; sweet in her care of him but firm enough to hold her ground when his children arrive and start jostling for position.

Raelee Hill plays eldest child Jan, who describes herself as the “middle-aged spinster condemned to live at home.” Hill navigates the many layers of this character with remarkable nuance; at first doting, dutiful and pious, then bitter and sharp, and later vulnerable and regretful. Her understated choices consistently draw deeper responses from both the cast and the audience. It is a sophisticated execution of character work.

Youngest brother Carl, played by Milan Pulvermacher, initially presents as abrasive, with Nicole (Cassandra Magrath) gracefully presenting as passive and placatory. As we discover that Carl is struggling with his mental health and career, Milan plays this shift physically; hands in pockets, eyes downcast, the initial bluster deflating. Older brother Larry, played by Chris Sadrinna, then steals the air from the room with his big presence and complete lack of filter. Chris is quick with timing and reactions and finds a naturalism in a character that could easily have been over-exaggerated.

Youngest daughter Meg returns from LA as the most earnest and loving of the siblings. Gillian Alexy plays the emotional depth of this character with a gentleness and vulnerability that makes Frank’s self-confessed favouritism entirely understandable. Nathan, played by Patrick James, arrives as Meg’s gay ex-husband, now an architect liaising with Larry over the house. His character is a comedic injection, but his arc allows him to display some emotional depth as the play comes towards it’s close.

Frank breaks the fourth wall throughout to weave past and present together, filling in gaps and offering a peek behind the curtain at each of his children. Julian Pulvermacher carries this narrative device with ease, making Frank the warm, wry centre around which all the chaos spins.

The comedy is in the irresistible return of these adult siblings to their childhood roles and the question that keeps surfacing: what actually holds a family together when the person at the centre is slipping away? It is a play that asks what really matters in the end, and it asks it with both heart and real wit.

It is wonderful to see No BAD Theatre Co. joining the vibrant community theatre scene on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Another fabulous work from Mike Bullen, and a genuinely impressive debut for a company with a lot to offer.

Photography: Munnerz Photography
Insta handle: @munnerz_photography

To book tickets to The Waiting Room, please visit https://www.nobadtheatre.org/.

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Next Fall – Unmissable!

28/10/202627/10/2026 Linda Lokhee🏆💎🔥🦉🎭

Next Fall Rating

★★★★★

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The best plays are ones which sit in my mind, long after the curtain call. The special blend of plays that, the longer they percolate and brew, they deepen. Not only in colour but in depth and substance. This is “Next Fall”, a Boyslikeme Productions play, on now at The Eternity Playhouse in Darlinghurst. Have I really compared “Next Fall” to coﬀee? Yes, I have – and believe me, I love my coﬀee strong which is what this play is! “Next Fall”, written by Geoﬀrey Nauﬀts, is a layered and emotional piece of theatre and had me thinking not only about the physical aspects of the play, but also about important current themes revolving around love, religion and societal and family expectations.

At the heart of it, is a love story between a couple. Adam and Luke are gay, and they’re in love. If only Life was that harmonious. Set in 2009 in New York City, their relationship unfolds, alternating between the present and flashback scenes of the preceding five years of their relationship. In the opening scene, Holly (Natasha Vickory) and Brandon (Jason Jeﬀreries) are in a hospital waiting room. They don’t appear to be too familiar or comfortable with each other. Arlene (Sophie
Gregg) enters with a whirlwind of chatter.

After some time, the audience experiences Adam (Luke Jacobz) and Luke (Conor Fogarty) falling in love, moving in together and their friendship with Holly, a candle shop owner and Adam’s boss. The age gap between the two doesn’t aﬀect them (Adam is older than Luke) but there are two other diﬀerences which divide the pair. Luke is deeply religious, and consequently not open and honest with his family about his relationship with Adam. And he is not honest to himself about living his own truth and being comfortable in his own sexuality.

There’s one particular scene which stands out to illustrate this. It’s a simple scene, with Adam and Luke joking around in their apartment. Jacobz and Fogarty show the easiness of their characters, and there is beauty in their connection. They could be any loved up couple in the world. It all crumbles in an instant when Adam, who is agnostic, says one line, delivered by Jacobz with a heartbreaking plea, “I want you to love me more than Him.” The way that Fogarty portrays Luke in the following moment was perfection, and his silence cut like a knife. To me, this was a poignant moment and one which had less to do with sexual orientation, and more to do with faith and upbringing in the church. In any relationship, companionship with religious beliefs will lead to a happily ever after, in the “forever after”.

The play regularly transitions between past and present time periods, the latter in a hospital waiting room. This is indicated by a disconcerting and purposeful electric buzz accompanying a quick flash of light. At times this seemed disjointed and uneven especially after a comedic scene. Kudos to set and lighting designer Casey Moon-Watten for creating this delineation between the past and shocking present.

In scenes where Adam comes face-to-face with Luke’s parents, Arlene and Butch (played by Gerard Carroll), Jacobz’ masterful performance swings between his character being respectful and unsure, to building up to an explosive scene, which stands out as a powerful moment. Carroll delivers a compelling performance as Butch, embodying a stern, traditional man of faith with conviction and a steady dose of homophobia. Another encounter with Butch and Luke deepens the emotional complexity of the story, highlighting Luke’s internal struggle and the bravery required to reveal his true self to his father. The scene poignantly explores the universal theme of seeking parental acceptance and approval, an enduring desire that persists regardless of age.

“Next Fall” skilfully weaves comedic moments throughout the script with witty dialogue lightening the play’s more serious subject matter. The cast embraces this, notably in one scene where Adam finds himself in his apartment alone with Butch. Knowing that Butch is unaware that he is Luke’s partner, yet wanting to be polite and a good host, he oﬀers Butch a cup of tea. The two men end up discussing the ‘dainty’ teacups, with Adam oﬀering a sweetener in the cutest ever honey bear
pot. The campness of this scene was golden and had the audience laughing at the clearly uncomfortable Adam.

Producer and Director Darrin Redgate has brought together a talented cast and crew, delivering an insightful blend of drama, humour and pure heartfelt emotion that will leave audiences with a play to remember and think about, long after the curtain falls. “Next Fall” oﬀers a poignant reflection on society’s ongoing struggle for acceptance and harmony. Despite being set 17 years ago, Luke’s reluctance to come out to his parents and the internal pressures he faces within his relationship with Adam, mirror fractures that still exist in today’s social climate. It is both interesting and disheartening for me to see how little progress has been made. I hope that it won’t take another 17 years for society to embrace the true essence of love and kindness, no matter who you are, who you believe in and who you love.

“Next Fall” is unmissable – bring a friend!
Season run: 22 October – 7 November 2026
Eternity Playhouse 39 Burton St Darlinghurst
Run time: 135 minutes with a 20 minute interval
Tickets: www.nextfall.com.au

To book tickets to Next Fall, please visit https://www.nextfall.com.au/.

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Crazing

26/10/202625/10/2026 Catherine Wright🥈🎭

Crazing Rating

★★★★★

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Walking into the theatre space, we heard Helen Reddy’s song booming out, ’oh, yes, I am wise but it’s wisdom more than pain, yes I paid the price but look how much I’ve gained…’ On came Karli Evans initially playing modern Aila Driscoll, a business woman and more macho than the men because it is still a man’s world. Now don’t think this play is only for women, the men in the audience responded instantly recognising the men she was referring to as they have to deal with them as well. However; her character and the following historic female characters presented the physiological and psychological pain of a woman standing up for her rights, ethics, belief and pure love; swimming against the tide and often paying a price.

Oliver Brighton, Tech Director, provided the sound and lighting subtly changing the mood of each character via projection on a scrim. The set, a fading hotel room in the middle of a redevelopment project resisting progress, had torn wallpaper and a basic single bed and chair that provided a refuge for each character. It would cleverly change to reflect different characters and the decor of its era and without giving anything away, clever on-set costume changes reflected the fashion of the time.

Writer and producer Kerrie Simon-Lawrence has crafted an eloquent, humorous and fascinating series of monologues featuring four Australian women from different eras, each grappling with difficult decisions and the social constraints of her time, and directed by Lara Lightfoot. Mary Anne Monroe-Bentley, Molly Fink and Angie Sage are honoured for their stand and place in women’s history and fight for their identity. Karli alters her voice and posture to tell their stories and the audience believed in each change of persona.

With all of that, it is Karli who holds your attention as she switches from being the modern Aila to jump into each of the other women’s characters. The language changed in complexity and emotion and it was a ‘tour de force’ for one actor. She ebbed and flowed as a modern woman frustrated with the business world whilst juggling her attention to her love for her partner as she is challenged with making decisions about work and family.

The characters outline women’s need to make decisions about their bodies, their social status, how to walk through a dark park at night alone and even as a sex worker; why a condom is non-negotiable. The messages are still relevant and the monologue is arresting, emotional and even sometimes wryly humorous. The audience responded and were having discussions as we all exited the theatre. We were left wondering how Aila would manage what her next step might be and her stance as Helen Reddy sang,”I am Woman”.

To book tickets to Crazing, please visit https://whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/events/crazing-by-escape-artists.

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Trophy Boys – Spirited Yet Sobering Satire

25/10/2026 Paul Ellicott🥈🎭

Trophy Boys By Emmanuelle Mattana Rating

★★★★★

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It is the Grand Finale of the Year 12 Interschool Debating Tournament, and a near-capacity Pip Theatre audience watch on as boys from the elite St Imperium College are in lockdown, preparing their argument that ‘feminism has failed women’. The twist? These boys are played by an entirely female/non-binary cast – and they are about to discover one of them has been anonymously accused of sexual assault.

Trophy Boys by Emmanuelle Mattana offers a fascinating and fearless account about privilege and power, where misogyny masquerades its motivation, even while avowing allyship. Friendships become fragile, with every man for himself, however the patriarchy is perennially protected. The 70-minute duration moves quickly, with script, performances and creative design each multi-layered and gelling well.

Despite a serious theme, there are plenty of laughs in Trophy Boys, largely at the expense of insecure teenage masculinity, elevated with keenly observed characterisation and funny physicality by the energetic ensemble, who make me forget I’m not watching a group of high school aged boys; Credit is due to Gabby Carbon as David, Emily Liu as Owen, Stella Peterson as Scott and Tayla Rankine as Jared, for bringing these characters to multi-faceted life. While on a certain level, this show is a send up of the students’ obnoxiousness and elitist entitlement, the performers each bring dimension to their roles, collectively deeply flawed yet human, with redeeming features like an old boys’ network to call on if all else fails, complete with a prominent lawyer as a father.

While these characters are undoubtedly problematic, they carry their own burdens too. The weight of expectation on their lofty aspirations is heavy, as they try to figure out their own authentic, independent identities; Scott and Jared seem like more than ‘just friends’ and a play with a multi-cultural cast explicitly discussing intersectionality invites reflection around social dynamics and how race may also benefit or disadvantage people and groups at an esteemed establishment like St Imperium. Only first produced in 2022, Trophy Boys explores timely themes, which feel safer coming from male characters played by female/non-binary performers, as they uncover behaviour that should not be tolerated but is concerningly normalised, and each of them questions the others, but is also questionable in turn.

Overall, Trophy Boys is a fine addition to an excellent 2026 programme for Pip Theatre. Director Anne Pensalfini and the entire creative team succeed wonderfully with this production, inviting our serious reflection with a humorous wink, in this spirited yet sobering satire. Highly recommended.

To book tickets to Trophy Boys By Emmanuelle Mattana, please visit https://piptheatre.org/trophy-boys/.

Photographer: Kenn Wylchi

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