On Stage: Australian Open

Visitors to Melbourne currently have two versions of an Australian Open to entertain them.

The first is the tennis being played at Melbourne Park.  The second is the play Australian Open which is playing at Theatre Works until January 31 as part of the Midsumma Festival.

Written by Australian playwright Angus Cameron and debuted in 2019 , the comic play uses tennis as the basis of an exploration of family dynamics and relationships.

The play starts with a birthday to celebrate Felix’s (Sebastian Li) 31st birthday.  He is having drinks with his partner, top Australian tennis player Lucas (Eddie Orton) and his parents Belinda (Jane Montgomery Griffiths) and Peter (Alec Gilbert).

The most confident Lucas has just lost to Roger Federer in a grand slam tournament overseas and while the conversation starts rather benignly it heats up when discussions about the possible  marriage of Felix and Lucas comes up.

Belinda and Peter are keen for the two to tie the knot as soon as possible but Lucas in particular doesn’t share their enthusiasm.  It seems the two men have an open relationship meaning they can sleep with whoever they choose.  Given the numbers quoted by Lucas he is far more active than Felix!

His number of relationships and the boys’ attitudes lead to Belinda starting to question her marriage to Peter leading to some dramatic changes in both their situation and lifestyles.

These changes have a major impact on Felix’s thought process which in turn impacts on his relationship with Lucas.  Further complicating matters is the arrival of Felix’s sister Annabelle (Melissa Kahraman) from Switzerland.  Lucas’ victory at the Australian Open culminates in both he and Felix making a major decision.

While the storyline of Australian Open suggests it could be a drama, the production is very much a comic delight thanks to much of the dialogue and performance of the actors.

There are many funny lines relating to modern day life in Melbourne and pop culture, the tennis scene and heterosexual and gay relationships.  And although attitudes have changed from 2019 to 2026 many of the themes are still very relevant.

All five actors are equally believable in their roles. Scenes featuring the ‘new look’ Belinda and Peter are particularly humorous.

In announcing the staging of the play Theatre Works executive director Dianna Toulson explained:

“When Angus Cameron first shared this script, it hit that magic combination of being sharp, sexy, smart, and emotionally loaded.

“It felt like such a natural fit for our Midsumma program; the tension of elite sport, the messiness of desire, and this delicious queer heat running through it. It felt like the perfect moment for Theatre Works to bring it into the heart of Melbourne’s queer festival season.”

Her decision was most certainly vindicated by the loud laughter and sustained applause of the audience at the sold-out first night performance.

Australian Open is playing at Theatre Works until January 31.  Visit the Theatre Works website for tickets and more information.

*Photo credit: Sarah Clarke