Trophy Boys → State Theatre SA

 State Theatre’s 2026 season is officially underway, and what a knockout show to start off with! This is Trophy Boys written by Emmanuelle Mattana, which has finally made its way to Adelaide after its sold out National Tour and Off-Broadway season. Trophy Boys takes an almighty punch at male privilege in a satirical play set in the confines of a classroom. It’s an extremely clever and deeply penetrating work considering our current societal climate. This is the show that everyone needs to sit down, shut up and see ASAP! 


It's the Grand Finale of the Year 12 Interschool Debating Tournament, and the team from an elite all-boys school are locked in a room for their one-hour prep window, forced to argue that “feminism has failed women.” You can smell the Lynx Africa that would be penetrating these halls as the four students come hollering in. From the outset, all stereotypes of the ‘private school boy’ archetype are there in a far-too-relateable way. There’s Owen (Myfanwy Hocking), the prefect eager to follow the pipeline to become a politician with a clean reputation. Scott (Tahlia Jameson) the footy boy, Jared (Fran Sweeny-Nash) the ladies man, and David (Kidaan Zelleke) the nerdy intellectual. 

The show begins with a riot of schoolboy tomfoolery that is far too accurate. Their dynamic is totally camp, spot on and hilarious to watch. The cast send-up all stereotypical mannerisms of teenage boys. They eye-ball the audience letting us in, and from the outset we cannot stop laughing. When their debate prep gets derailed the show takes a darker turn to a more serious exploration of sexual assault, entitlement and the reality of seemingly “harmless” acts. The boys try to navigate a happy ending for all, but I won’t spoil any further! 

Mattana’s choice to explore these themes and begin to dismantle the patriarchy just a little bit, with four teenage boys as the main characters is just genius. The fact that the cast is female and non-binary allows the show to nail the irony of all that is said in the room. There are moments of spluttering laughter, to gasps and nods in agreement, the audience is totally hooked on what fate lies for these boys once the time is up. 

Even the smallest of one-liners hit with a mighty impact, striking cords with the audience who chuckle in agreement or uncomfortability. For example, Scott exclaims: “I can’t be a footy player if I have sexual assault allegations!” We laugh at first, but then we realise we are sitting in the real world and simmer down quick smart… 

The satirical bite of this show lingers long after. Trophy Boys is tightly intelligent and accessible across all generations. It's a show that welcomes new, younger theatre goers with a refreshing, modern and dare I say, relatable take on feminism. Trophy Boys is not to be missed!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Footloose → Metropolitan Musical Theatre Company

Image
You b etter kick off your Sunday Shoes Adelaide, The Metropolitan Musical Theatre Company’s current production of Footloose is here to take us back to the 80s! If you’ve somehow never known the plot of Footloose, it begins when big-city teen Ren McCormack moves to the small town of Bomont, and is shocked to discover that dancing is banned. Determined to challenge this law, Ren aims to convince the town’s strongest voice, Reverend Shaw Moore, all whilst falling for his headstrong daughter, Ariel. With the iconic 80s hits you know, Footloose is a celebration of youth, freedom, and the euphoric power of dance. Directed by Matt Smith, The MET’s show brings together a diverse range of local performers to bring this show to life. Lachlan Stieger is the charming Ren McCormack - who is impressively taking on his first lead role! Playing Ariel is the incredible Vasileia Markou who has a standout voice, especially in ‘Holding Out For A Hero’ and ‘Almost Paradise.’ Together, these two had clearl...
Read more

CRUSH: The Musical → Adelaide Fringe

Image
  Treating us to a full length musical this Fringe season is local company Gemini Creative Arts, with their joyous production of Crush The Musical . Directed by Sarah Williams and performed by a knockout cast of local talent, Crush is an uplifting celebration of queer love schoolgirl camaraderie! Set in a 1960s British girls’ boarding school, Crush follows a group of students whose free-spirited world is upended when a strict headmistress arrives determined to stamp out rebellion and the budding romance between two girls. What unfolds is a cheeky, heartfelt musical about friendship, first love, and uniting to stand up against oppressive rules. This production is stripped back but has all it needs to shine: A live orchestra arranged by Steven Edis, a full cast with soaring talents, and an excellent use of positioning on a small stage. Williams’ choreography treated the audience to dynamic and visually exciting movements, I especially loved the addition of the hockey tap number, whi...
Read more

When We Dead Awaken → Loc'ally Theatr

Image
  For only its second production, Loc’ally Theatr has chosen to confront the weighty, introspective world of iconic playwright Henrik Ibsen in their reinterpretation of When We Dead Awaken. For those unfamiliar, Ibsen’s work is certainly challenging theatrical territory, however the cast delivered a confident and thoughtful performance of this deeply psychological work.  When We Dead Awaken is Ibsen’s final play, a reflective and symbolic piece about artistic ambition, lost love, and the acceptance of death. The story follows sculptor Arnold Rubek, who is vacationing with his young wife Maia. Their strained marriage is disrupted by the sudden reappearance of Irena, Rubek’s former muse, whose intense presence reawakens memories and buried desires. As the two reconnect, they confront what was lost. In their search for redemption and meaning, they ascend a mountain together, in a final act that blurs the line between awakening and death.  Despite the challenges of performi...
Read more