Last Thursday Mr BC and I frocked up and went to see Australia Day, a play by Jonathon Biggins, put on by QPAC in Brisbane. At the after party, Wesley Enoch, Queensland Theater's Artistic Director, likened Australia Day to 'collecting all the politically correct sacred cows, and throwing them on the BBQ.' He wasn't wrong. Fuck, it was funny.
Jonathon Biggins says he based this play on his own experiences as an Australia Day Ambassador to regional centers across our wide patriotic land. Australia Day follows a committee of 6 Australian stereotypes as they argue their way toward putting on an Australia Day celebration in Coriole, a small country town that could be anywhere in Australia. The idealistic Green Candidate, the second generation Asian, the Country Woman's Association stalwart, the bigoted old bloke, the local mayor old boy trying to crack the the LNP preselection and his council mate (and old school friend) the quiet bloke who actually does all the work. I've met these people in real life, and I suspect you have too.
If you don't like swearing, you should probably avoid buying a ticket, but if you hold your political correctness close to your heart, you should run to the box office immediately because you are about to have your eyes well and truly opened. The characters come out with almost every offensive viewpoint you could think of, and the audience loved it. There was lots of gasping and clutching of pearls before hysterical belly laughing. There was a lot of that weird low key cringing laughter people do while they try and decide if it is OK to think this is appropriate or not. You know that laugh? It's the sound of sacred cows hitting a hotplate.
The play is about what it means to be an Australian, mate-ship, acceptance and idealism. It's about wanting the best for your family and fellow country men. It's provoking and entertaining, it's food for thought, it's a good night out. It's bloody fantastic. Go see it.
Australian Day is on at the Queensland Theatre Company until 16th February.
For tickets, phone 1800 355 528 or go to QPAC online.