World debut of the musical in Sydney ★★★★☆

There is nothing more sapphic than longing. The Internet era is also ripe for this. Meeting a stranger you’ve never met in real life and falling head over heels in love with them is just about the most fun thing you can do. (Apart from, perhaps, threatening to blow up the world because of a failed relationship.)

World debut Flat Earthers: The Musical as sapphic as possible. Two young lovers meet through the screen – Ria (Shannen Alice Quan) is a “Whistleblower”, a member of an exclusive cabal of YouTube stars dedicated to debunking conspiracy theories and putting weirdos in their place. But Ria’s values ​​are questioned when she meets Flik via email (Manali Datar). A couple of star-crossed lesbians quickly move from DM-immersion to analog love. The fact is that Flick lives in a bunker with his two mothers – Fiona/Ma and Freya/Mama (Lena Cruz And Amanda McGregor) – who dragged her underground because, well, they’re flat-earthers. (Read: They firmly and desperately believe that the government is hiding the fact that the Earth is flat.)

With enormous energy, an uncompromising desire to constantly be online and a raucous laugh, Flat Earthers best described as madness

Written and composed Zhan Tong, Lou Wall And James Galethis new Australian musical is absolutely, fabulously committed to the craft. The writing trio have a number of impressive works to their credit, including a Netflix hit. The grief of a broken heart (Tong); Romeo is not the only fruit (featuring even more hapless Gale and Tonga lesbians); ABC TV channels VTFAC (Gale and Wall); and Wall’s own catalog of AV-heavy online musical stand-up comedy, including I once joined the Illuminatiand more recently Bisexual crying.

Flat Earthers This isn’t the first instance of the creators’ mutual obsession with weird internet shenanigans, but it’s probably the most ridiculous of them all. Since most of the team was heavily influenced Fans (which is currently finding a new legion of pop fans in London) and Yves Blake’s church-meets-rave approach to musical theatre, it could be said that Flat Earthers feels a little like Fans, all adults.

This online love story at a high altitude camp is the result of a collaboration between Griffin Theater Company (Sydney, the birthplace of the new Australian writing) and Hayes Theater (Sydney Home of New Australian Musicals), directed by Artistic Director Griffin. Declan Green (who is behind the Time Out Sydney Arts & Culture Award winner) Lewis trilogyand nominee Blaque Showgirls).

The music is brilliantly chaotic, from club bangers to tender, yearning, rousing ballads. Green directs an impressive cast that includes Michelle Brazier (about Aunt Donna and Medium Bear fame) as the superbly wounded villain Mz Prism (among other hilarious cameos), who takes on the high C in the first act and most of the balladry in the second. Quan (Little Women, Dismissal, Fans) and Datar (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, White Pearl, Fans), as fierce and confident lovers are the perfect combination of sweet and wild. Milo Hartill (Black, fat and uglyFans) And Zarif (Choir Boy) play several cameo roles, including the main minions of Mz Prism, and their joint comedy videos create hilarious (and sometimes even touching) episodes.

Hartill and Brazier are bright spots, bringing powerful vocals and a twisted devotion to each of their characters. But with lyrical gems like “Can’t, Sorry, I’m Calling” and “We’re the World’s Dumbest Assholes,” each character gets more than one opportunity to shine. Flat Earthers. Most of the time this works in the musical’s favor, but the second act does get a little busy – there are a lot of very emotional ballads and quite a lot of character arcs. This makes for a somewhat tedious experience that leaves you reeling, then picking yourself up again to jump into another big number.

There’s a fantastic team behind the scenes too. Brockman – it’s just Brockman, like Madonna – (from Constellations, Overflow, Ride the Cyclone and many others) on scenery and lighting design, Fetu Taku choreography, -and Jude Pearl as musical director and sole musician (A Very Jewish Christmas Carol, Share a link to House: The Musical). Brockman’s set design and lighting, accompanied by Xanthe Dobby And Daniel HertenVideo Design, he does a lot of the hard work to bring the world of the internet to the stage. The focus is on two intertwining arches, illuminated by emojis, text messages, memes and other craziness. Between the arches, a huge white fringed curtain becomes various internet backdrops as spotlights reveal characters through this imaginary screen. For the Illuminati scenes (of course) there is more than enough green, triangles and lasers. These images and strange internet sounds (also written by Herten) are as chaotic and mind-boggling as a three-hour TikTok scrolling session.

With enormous energy, an unapologetic desire to be constantly online, and more than his fair share of raucous laughter, Flat Earthers: The Musical best described as insanity. Whether you think this is a good thing or not may depend on whether you grew up with Alanis Morrissette, internalized homophobia, two moms, a smartphone, or a dial-up Internet connection. This may be the silliest musical and the most disarmingly compassionate portrayal of internet conspiracy theorists you’ll see this year. Don’t leave yourself *longing* for a ticket.

Flat Earthers: The Musical is at Hayes Theater Co, Elizabeth Bay (near King’s Cross) until 9 November. Find tickets and more information. Here.

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