“At 5:30 P.M. on the third of November, in Telopea Park, following a verbal altercation, Benjamin Raleigh, eleven, armed with a stick, struck Henry Novak in the face. This action resulted in, apart from a swelling of the upper lip, the breaking of two incisors, including injury to the nerve in the right incisor.”

Two eleven-year-old boys, a stick and some broken teeth are the catalyst in this classic comedy, which Echo Theatre have reimagined, setting it in Canberra in a vibrant new production. When two couples meet to discuss the playground incident between their sons, the evening begins quite amicably. Soon, however, the afternoon deteriorates from one of mild unease and discomfort, into a deluge of accusations, recriminations, jealousy and rage. There’s aging parents, drug side effects, precious catalogues, abandoned hamsters, not to mention drinking, fighting, projectile vomiting and the destruction of some rather lovely tulips. Boys will be boys, but can the grown-ups be grown up enough to resolve their differences without losing sight of right and wrong?

Cast
Jim Adamik, Lainie Hart, Arran McKenna, Jenna Roberts

Director’s Notes
“Why did I choose this show? Because it’s a sitcom—live on stage! It’s unbelievably funny, filled with characters you’ll instantly recognise from your own life: the passive-aggressive mum, the just generally passive dad, the person who tries too hard to stay polite while everything is falling apart, and the one who insists on poking the bear. These parents find themselves in an outrageously awkward social situation… and absolutely do not handle it well. You might say they behave like children—but honestly, most children show more emotional maturity than this bunch. As a parent myself, I relate to all of it: the fierce protectiveness, the crushing guilt, the constant fear of judgment—it’s all here, dialled up to eleven. The true joy of this comedy is watching these adults spiral into increasingly inappropriate, hilarious responses. It’s awkward, it’s ridiculous, and it’s very, very fun.

– Jordan Best, Director