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Three Little Words Ad Astra | Pluto Theatre Written by Joanna Murray-Smith Director: Greg Scurr Assistant Director: Ellen Hardisty Stage Manager: Kat Coomber Sound Design: Greg Scurr and Peter Eades Lighting Design: Daniel Endicott Set Design: Greg Scurr Fight and Intimacy Coordinator: NJ Price Costume Assistant: Eleanora Ginardi Production Assistant: Sarah Speller “The whole world sees us as one thing.” After seeing Three Little Words, I'm now more certain than ever that I should never get married. Seriously, if there's one thing I learned (aside from what a tantalus is), it's that couples should be obligated to go to marriage counselling before attempting to assemble IKEA furniture together. Minor spoilers ahead. Joanna Murray-Smith’s Three Little Words has landed in the cosy Pluto Theatre at Ad Astra in Petrie Terrace. The married pairs of Tess and Curtis, and Bonnie and Annie, are seasoned friends who fit neatly into each other’s lives. That is, until Tss and Curtis decide to shake up their 20th anniversary celebration by announcing three little words that blow the evening apart: "We're splitting up". Suddenly, the once rock-solid stability of everyone involved begins to wobble. The set, designed by director Greg Scurr, keeps us boxed inside the characters’ world. With brick walls, modern artwork, a full bookshelf, a dining table, a bar trolley and ample alcohol, the space slowly devolves from a stylish dinner party into emotional warfare. As our merry band of characters gets tipsier by the minute (and very convincingly act so), their etiquette and understanding fly out the window. In the eye of the storm is Julie Cotterell as Tess, a book publisher who is highly articulate even while drunk, spiralling, or uprooting her life on what feels dangerously close to a whim. Tess explains how she has moved from the role of a daughter, then a wife, then a mother... And now she is stuck inside an identity crisis so large that she starts swinging it at everyone around her. She talks a big game about desiring freedom, but cannot properly express what she wants. This duality makes her character simultaneously fascinating and frustrating, hypocritical and sometimes just plain mean; and Cotterell never sands down those jagged edges. She starts off looking groomed and composed but by the end, she is giving off feral goblin energy. Cameron Hurry is superb as Curtis, Tess’s seemingly supportive husband (or at least pretending to be). Since the character is a teacher, Hurry captures that trained instinct to keep calm, absorb, encourage, and put on a brave face, even as the ground is disappearing beneath him. There is an easy awkwardness to his humour that makes Curtis unexpectedly endearing, which caught me off guard because I found myself thinking, “Wait, am I sympathising with a man here?!” Hurry plays the early restraint beautifully, letting Curtis’s hurt leak out before the dam finally gives way. And that slow release predicts his eventual messiness still to come... because nobody gets to stay on the morally high ground in this play for long. Hurry and Cotterell are particularly gripping (and vicious) in their final scene together, where the polite wreckage of their marriage becomes a full war of the spouses. Years of resentment are pulled out and sharpened - earnings, intellect, ownership, self worth - are all dragged into the fight. Cotterell and Hurry (and fight coordination by NJ Price) handle the scene with the kind of trust and rigour that makes it appear believably dangerous. Every insult lands like it has been waiting years for permission. Luckily, they never really turn their teenage daughter into a weapon, because by that point I was starting to see a little too much of my own childhood in the room. The focus stays on the adults and their collapsing sense of self, which is painful enough. As Annie, Bianca Butler Reynolds is sweet-natured, passive, and quietly wounded in a way that sneaks up on you. Annie seems like the fun and softer presence in the group, but Reynolds allows us to see the little fractures underneath. She has a lovely lightness on stage, never overplaying when Annie is hurt, which makes it all the more impactful. Nicola Jayne (NJ) Price as Bonnie is cool as a cucumber on the outside, but that calm is not emptiness. Price gives Bonnie a deliciously composed presence, all sharp eyes, sharper wit, and the kind of confidence that can make a room behave. Bonnie is observant, stylish, and capable of slicing through everyone else’s nonsense with brazen honesty. Her explanation of a mid-life crisis is marvellous: the boredom, the discontent, the self-sabotage, the desperate reach for some “spiritual awakening.” Bonnie is here to tell you that what waits on the other side is not enlightenment, but a barren battlefield. Together, Price and Reynolds make Bonnie and Annie’s relationship just as compelling as the louder collapse happening beside them. Their dynamic is like a well-worn pair of mismatched socks: comfortable but just a tad prickly. They begin as the couple observing the disaster, reacting, gossiping, judging; but of course they are not safe either. Tess and Curtis think their split will be civil and sensible. Bonnie and Annie think they are only witnesses. Everyone is wrong. Everybody's strong acting abilities made me believe these people have indeed been tangled up in each other’s lives for twenty years. It is in the body language, the shared memories, and even the story of how Tess and Curtis first met, which has the looseness of a tale retold too many times at dinner parties. That history makes Bonnie and Annie’s position in the fallout especially messy as they become like the children of the separation, stuck between two parents who keep pulling them aside to talk about the other. Bonnie and Annie listen, report back, swap loyalties, and give some dreadful advice. I love that Joanna Murray-Smith’s writing never hands us a clean side to stand on. People say cruel things while trying to sound enlightened. They ask for freedom while demanding control. They insist they are not clichés while walking directly into cliché-shaped potholes. I also appreciate that the play does not pretend Tess’s chase for selfhood comes with any easy answers. Singlehood does not magically fix Tess. From where I’m sitting, it looks more like another room with different wallpaper and the same unresolved problems. Director Greg Scurr and Assistant Director Ellen Hardisty handle all the overlapping dialogue, rapid emotional pivots, and boiling tension. The blocking keeps the room active, with no one ever quite able to escape each other. The production earns so much from subtle acting choices: fiddling with wedding rings, flinching at a touch, drinks poured aggressively, and hair/clothing that become neglected. The backing music gives the scenes a neat little pulse between domestic implosions. On the night I attended, the lighting system was clearly having issues, so I do not feel I can properly comment on Daniel Endicott’s design beyond noting that the red-toned world of the play still gave the room an appropriately heated edge. I am not exactly the target demographic here: 30, unmarried, and very happy to go home to my cats. But I understand separation. I understand the heartache of being blindsided, and I understand how one person’s “fresh start” can become everyone else's heartbreak. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed it, and the audience around me was completely engaged too as we chuckled, gasped, or sat in astonished silence. I kept looking at my friends for their reactions like we were watching a particularly thrilling reality show. I laughed, winced, sympathised, and judged, often within the same scene. So, I’m not even sure whether to classify it as a comedy or a drama at this point. It feels more like a dinner party where everyone should have just left two wines earlier. Three Little Words pokes at marriage, friendship, identity, compromise, the quiet resentments people swear they are fine about, and Ad Astra lets us sit right in the awkward, wine-soaked middle of it.

Presented by QAEMT Conservatorium Griffith University Cremorne Theatre, QPAC Music and Lyrics: Ryan Scott Oliver Based on Photographs by: Matthew Murray Director: Jason Klarwein Musical Director: David Young Choreographer: Dan Venz Designer: Josh McIntosh Lighting Designer: Keith Clark Sound Designer: Steve Thornely Photography: Kenn Wylchi Some musicals ask you to follow a plot... 35MM: A Musical Exhibition asks you to follow a feeling by letting you peek into a stranger’s life before whisking you away. Presented by the third-year cohort of QAEMT Conservatorium Griffith University, this 70-minute multimedia song cycle is a photo album of love, lust, grief, violence, nostalgia, ego, adolescence, heartbreak, killer prom queens, vampires, and a deeply concerning baby. What more could you want? With music and lyrics by Ryan Scott Oliver, inspired by photographs from Matthew Murray, 35MM is more a strange little gallery of snapshots than a traditional musical. There is no single plotline or genre to hold onto. Instead, each song exists for a brief but vivid glimpse, before the lens shifts again. Under Jason Klarwein’s direction, this production embraces that fractured structure beautifully, letting the work become both a performance showcase and a sentimental scrapbook for this graduating class. Josh McIntosh’s design used white sheets for projections and shadow silhouettes, a raised platform for the band, and portraits pegged up like memories drying in a photo studio. The stage sat somewhere between darkroom, rehearsal room and yearbook. While the original photographs that inspired the songs were not shown during the production itself, they appear in the program for anyone curious. Instead, the show used photos of the students at various life stages, displayed through what appeared to be a real slide projector (...was it?). It was a sweet touch because nothing tugs at the heartstrings quite like seeing a bunch of graduating performers being confronted with their tiny past selves. Opening with Stop Time, Lily Bennetts acted as a kind of vocal tour guide for this strange gallery of moments. She was our camera queen, popping up during transitions to change slides or snap a Polaroid, and later leading the fabulous femme cast in Immaculate Deception with a very satisfying command of the room. And that femme cast looked lovely in their fur coats and pristine frocks, and their glorious “hallelujah” harmonies lingered in the air like a spritz of high-end perfume. Crazytown burst onto the scene, throwing any semblance of innocence out the window. Jackson Hughesman courageously led this daring piece with endurance. The ensemble embraced Dan Venz’s modern choreography with bodies flying, silhouette shadows of wolves, and a frenzy of orgiastic energy. It was outrageous, sweaty, and utterly committed. Just as it was written to be. AJ Betts tackled On Monday with rock-musical fervour, throwing themself into the song with impressive melismas and passionate “head over heels” energy. Harry Ince followed with Caralee, singing about a “satanic” baby girl with hilarity and terrific vocal modulation. He adapted his tone to match the mood of each lyric, turning it into one of the most characterful moments of the show. Zoe Allsopp Lander shifted the palette with The Party Goes With You, leading with a versatile, confident vocal while three couples slow danced around her in moonlit orbit. Priya Gill and Saul Kavenagh powered through Make Me Happy with comic edge, restless energy and the kind of endurance that totally justified their well-deserved lie down during the following song. Good Lady tossed Lachlan Dunks into a fantasy realm where he had to fight off assassins and rescue the damsel, played by Tayler Ramsay. However, the character becomes so swallowed by the game that reality slips past him. This concept was intriguing, and the supporting characters were great, even though Lachlan had to contend with the band’s volume, which caused some vocal strain to creep in. Nevertheless, the offstage vocals, especially in this piece, demonstrated how well the ensemble could back a soloist from the shadows. One of the evening’s gentlest gut-punches came with The Seraph. Caelan McCarthy led on acoustic guitar and sang with stunning stillness and sincerity, later joined by Sam Thomas for a harmonious ending. It required no spectacle. It just needed breath, blend, and trust, and they had all three. Then came Leave Luanne, and suddenly we were whisked away into a mini cinematic story. Led by the unstoppable trio of Sam Thomas, Saul Kavenagh, and Ned Kelly, with Ella Wood dancing as Luanne, this seven-minute number was the strongest storytelling piece of the production. The band surged, the fury built, and the whole stage seemed to shake with sound, haze, and motion. Ella danced with incredible gusto, while the boys delivered gospel vocals that ignited the heat of the number. Oh, and Saul, I caught that coin trick you so effortlessly pulled off amidst the chaos. The whole company’s performance of Mama Let Me In was a lovely reset, with an a-cappella prayer moment that let their voices shine together without any background score overpowering them. Addisyn Herndon, Hannah Mohr, and Tayler Ramsay took the lead on Why Must We Tell Them Why, nailing those tough harmonies with incredible drive. It looked truly exhausting. Twisted Teeth was deranged. I thought it was titled “Sucking Me Dry,” which tells you everything you need to know about the vibe of the song. Lottie Smith was divine here (or maybe devilish), giving a deliciously twisted performance opposite Ned Kelly and an ensemble armed with crazy black wigs, dead eyes, vampiric absurdity and a wicked sense of humour. Cut You a Piece brought us back into grief, with Addisyn Herndon and Caelan McCarthy delivering the song with passionate emotion. The alcove beneath the band platform was used beautifully here, giving the number a more private, tucked-away feeling. Aarya Doolabh also deserves mention for a stunning soprano voice that cut through with real clarity. Hemming and Hawing, performed by Lucas Harm, Hannah Mohr, Anni Reilly and Sam Thomas, carried a couple-song softness with thorny dissonant harmonies woven through it. Sam and Anni blended especially beautifully. The number seemed to sit a little low for Lucas and Hannah in places, but the quartet still found shape and intimacy inside the musical difficulty. The Ballad of Sara Berry saw Alessia Charman storm in with a handheld mic and a killer glare. She led the number with sharp attitude, and the company matched her with fierce (and exhausting!) choreography. I would gladly watch the show again purely to catch this choreography once more. The handheld mic worked wonderfully as a prop, though I was less convinced by its use as a sound source. Across the production, the sound from the handhelds created a noticeable difference compared with the head mics the performers already wore, and I preferred the cleaner, more consistent sound of the latter. The band, with David Young on keys, truly earned its own applause. This score wasn’t a gentle stroll through musical theatre. It twisted, lurched, belted, whispered, snapped into complex rhythms, and required constant precision. Joel Sanchez-Carn on guitar, Evie Scott on violin, Laura Boon on cello, Hayley Gravina on bass, and Marcelle Gunning on drums handled the madness with style. Keith Clark’s lighting and Steve Thornely’s sound helped carve each song into its own pocket of reality, with lighting doing particularly strong work through the silhouette sequences and shadow formations. Dr Melissa Agnew’s voice and dialect work was evident in the cast’s articulation and stylistic confidence, while NJ Price’s intimacy direction was important in a work that moved through sexual references, relationship tension, and depictions of domestic violence. The last piece pulled the frame back into focus on the cohort themselves, presenting a touching compilation video of their time together at the Conservatorium. Following a show built around fragments of lives caught mid-motion, it felt right to end it with evidence. These students had matured together in rehearsal spaces, classrooms, and backstage hallways, and now they stood here, singing on the brink of whatever lay ahead. 35MM is an odd beast, and I mean that with affection. It is messy by design, vocally bold, emotionally slippery and stylistically restless. It gave this cohort room to show versatility, humour, courage and the kind of ensemble trust that cannot be faked.

Title: The Murder Room Presented By: Nash Theatre Genre: Mystery Farce Synopsis: The Murder Room is a fabulous mystery farce concerning newlyweds Edgar and Mavis. Two days after their wedding, Edgar discovers his younger wife is less than faithful. After her first attempt to kill him by poisoning his cocoa fails, Mavis resorts to increasingly creative methods before he can change his will. Audition Date: Sunday May 24th, 2026 Audition Time: From 11AM Audition Location and Address: The Play Shed, 4 Amity Street, New Farm Audition Requirements: No prepared pieces required. Auditions will consist of cold reads from the script. Audition Registration: Please contact the director (Sharon White - sharon_white_@hotmail.com) to register your interest. Performance Dates: August 7th - 29th, 2026 Performance Location: The Play Shed, 4 Amity Street, New Farm Performer Age: 25–70 (depending on role) Creative Team: Director - Sharon White Production Website: Nash Theatre - The Murder Room Other Information: For further information and to register your interest, please contact Sharon White Available Roles / Character Breakdown: Edgar Hollister (50–60) - A somewhat befuddled member of the landed gentry. Mavis Hollister (40s) - Edgar’s very recent bride; glamorous with a vampish edge. Lottie Malloy (55–70) - A sharp-tongued, wise-cracking housekeeper. James Crandall (35–45) - A police inspector; stolid, methodical, and reserved. Abel Howard (50–60) - An intelligent police constable. (Note: This role is doubled with Edgar.) Susan Hollister (25–30) - Edgar’s daughter; bubbly, ditzy, and talkative. Barry Draper (25–30) - Susan’s fiancé; an affable, all-American type.

Discover the latest in Brisbane theatre auditions and reviews on Stage Buzz Brisbane. Your go-to source for all things theatre in the Queensland capital. WELCOME TO STAGE BUZZ BRISBANE This dynamic hub for South-East Queensland thespians is your go-to source for audition updates, performance reviews, and engaging content that celebrates the vibrant local theatre scene. From spotlighting talented actors to providing valuable tips, it's a community-driven platform that brings the magic of the stage to the forefront, fostering connection and celebration among theatre enthusiasts in the region. NICE TO MEET YOU Embrace the enchanting world of South-East Queensland's theatre scene right here on Stage Buzz Brisbane! We're your go-to hub for all things theatrical: upcoming performances adult audition alerts youth auditions performance reviews exclusive spotlight interviews with local talents rehearsal/performance venue database Whether you're a seasoned thespian or a passionate supporter of the arts, join us on this exciting journey as we celebrate the magic that unfolds on our local stages. At Stage Buzz Brisbane, we believe every production deserves its moment in the spotlight. If you know of any upcoming productions or hidden gems that have slipped under the radar, don't hesitate to reach out and share your insights or let us know about the productions that deserve extra applause. Together, let's shine a light on the vibrant and thriving community theatre culture in South-East Queensland. Let the curtains rise, and let the show begin! Contact

< Back CIRCUS: The Elemental Being - Pixie Dust Productions, Elemental Pole and Aerial 9 May 2026 Season: May 9th - 23rd, 2026 Title: The Elemental Being Presented By: Pixie Dust Productions in partnership with Elements Pole & Aerial Genre: Circus / Dance / Physical Theatre / Immersive Performance Synopsis: The Elemental Being is a circus-inspired movement production exploring the interconnected nature of the five elements—fire, water, earth, air, and aether. Each element is expressed through its own distinct movement style, atmosphere, and emotional tone before gradually weaving together into a unified experience. As the performance unfolds, the boundaries between individual forces dissolve, revealing the harmony created when contrasting energies coexist. Performed by adult and youth artists from the Moreton Bay community, the work blends aerial arts, contemporary dance, and physical theatre into a visually immersive and sensory performance experience. Performance Dates: May 9th - 23rd, 2026 Performance Times: May 9th & 23rd - 2:30PM May 9th & 16th - 7PM Performance Location and Address: Elements Pole & Aerial, 856 Gympie Rd, Lawnton QLD 4501, Australia Ticket Costs: Adult - $30 Concession / Child - $25 Ticket Link: Buy Tickets - The Elemental Being Warnings: Flashing or strobe lighting effects, immersive staging with performers moving through audience space, falling scenic elements, and loud sound effects may occur. Recommended Age: Family-friendly Duration: Approx. 60 minutes Production Website: Anywhere Festival - The Elemental Being Other information: This is an immersive, world-premiere production as part of the Anywhere Festival, featuring aerial rigging and close audience interaction. Audience members are seated within the performance space, with elements moving around and above them. Facilities are limited during the show (including restricted access to restrooms during performance), so patrons are advised to plan ahead. Accessibility is listed as available, but may vary depending on seating placement—contact the venue for specific requirements. Previous Next

< Back CHORAL: Rock Choir - Play it Forward, RPAC 9 May 2026 Season: May 9th, 2026 Title: Rock Choir – Rocks the Redlands Presented By: Play It Forward in partnership with Redland Performing Arts Centre Genre: Music / Community Choir / Rock Concert Synopsis: After multiple sold-out seasons, Rock Choir returns with a brand-new repertoire of classic rock anthems. Featuring music from iconic artists like INXS, AC/DC, Queen, Bon Jovi, Pink Floyd and Coldplay, this high-energy concert brings together a massed community choir with live performance flair. Led by renowned conductor Jonathon Welch AM and featuring special guest vocalist Ellen Reed ( The Voice 2016 finalist), this uplifting event celebrates the power of music, community, and pure rock nostalgia. Performance Dates: Saturday May 9th, 2026 Performance Times: 3PM & 7:30PM Performance Location and Address: RPAC Concert Hall, 2–16 Middle Street, Cleveland QLD 4163, Australia Ticket Costs: Adult - $50 Seniors/Pensioners - $43 Child/Student (17 & under) - $43 Member discounts available Companion Card - Free (with eligible card) Ticket Link: Buy Tickets - Rock Choir Recommended Age: Suitable for all ages Duration: Approx. 2 hours (including 20-minute interval) Cast: Community Rock Choir performers Special guest - Ellen Reed Creative Team: Led by Jonathon Welch AM Production Website: RPAC - Rock Choir Other information: Part of RPAC’s 2026 program supporting community arts and wellbeing through music. The venue offers strong accessibility features including wheelchair access, accessible seating, Companion Card support, and an induction loop hearing system. Accessible seating can be booked online or via the box office, and accessible parking is available onsite. Previous Next