WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE! | La Boite Theatre & Dead Puppet Society
All images: Dean Hanson
The Covid lockdowns certainly appear to have inspired recent programming of gothic horror and farce, including La Boite’s world premiere of the Brisbane-based WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE!, a play promoted as ‘equal parts eco thriller, schlock horror, and live-action comic book […] with a gleeful Aussie sense of humour.’ Co-directed by Dead Puppet Society’s David Morton and La Boite Theatre’s Courtney Stewart, WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE! certainly has some funny moments, fabulous puppetry and set (Designer David Morton), a very hard-working cast, a great soundtrack (curator and composer Dean Hanson, Ball Park Music), and a strong climate change message. But I came away feeling that this is a show that needs a little more—or, perhaps, less.
As with all good pieces of black comedy, Playwright Maddie Nixon has an inventive take on a clear theme. In WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE!, climate change concern is explored through the idea of what happens if ‘the ocean fights back,’ and the story is told through the experiences of the play’s heroine, Theo (Milena Nesic). At the start of the play, the main concern for Theo—who is also known as Theodora when in ‘full name’ trouble- is preparing to give a class talk at school. But Theo soon realises there are bigger problems that need to be solved—starting with the disappearance of her Mum at sea, but soon escalating to the corruption and neglect of politicians, and the mystery of exactly what is happening in the bay…
It is always great to see Brisbane stories brought to the stage, and also to experience work produced by and with Dead Puppet Society. I have been fortunate to see many Dead Puppet Society works over the past decade—with memorable shows including the amazing The Wider Earth, impressive Ishmael, and epic Holding Achillies. The puppetry and design of WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE! share similar creativity and style, featuring a fabulous evolving backdrop, charming LM (Little Monster), excellent mini Brisbane icons, an ‘ah-ha’ creation of the Story Bridge, ‘fisherman in the tinnie’ imagery, and the clever use of a sofa-car.
All images: Dean Hanson
The co-directors have also attracted a strong cast for WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE!. Milena Nesic is compelling as Theo. Nesic is certainly an actor to watch, and I hope she will be given future lead roles on the mainstage. Louise Brehmer (Lana/Teacher) is a great character actor and clearly relishes the opportunity to play both the grieving mum and the gloriously over-the-top teacher. Ngoc Phan’s princess Jaymie was funny and beautifully observed, and it was just a pity that we didn’t get to see more of Phan’s Alice. Anthony Standish (Jake/Harvey) drew the biggest laughs of the evening with his portrayals of the over-the-top Harvey and teenage Jake—particularly when having to make some very quick transitions between the two—and Hsiao-Ling Tang’s Nicklin was suitably creepy as the Principal-turned-spin-doctor.
Much of the comedy comes from the excellent stage business, and several slick one-liners. For me, the funniest pieces had to be the sofa-car moments—in particular the interactions with pedestrians and cyclists. Favourite lines and observations include references to “trauma-bonded friends,” “full name; I know I am in trouble” references, the demise of a much-loved pigtail, and the handing out of “participation awards.”
The first half of the show felt like a love story to Brisbane, which of course will make it a hit with local audiences. However, I did find my attention waning a little in the second half as the story worked towards its inevitable conclusion. Which brings me back to my opening comments about wanting less. It is great to see a new work with a clear message and concern, particularly when, as Maddie Nixon writes, the play is inspired by concerns that ‘the institutions we’re meant to trust to keep us safe have been ignoring the impending climate change crisis.’ But I would prefer to have slightly less frenzied furniture movement, possibly fewer scenes, and perhaps even some cutting back on minor storylines (such as the Principal becoming a spin doctor). I did occasionally feel as if I was back at school, and would have preferred a little less narration and a bit more time and space to make up my own mind about what was unfolding. But I could see from the number of school students attending the show that WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE! has a clear target audience, and resonates with the under-20s and their teachers—which means there may be a future for this work in school productions or school tours.
Audience information: WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE!, 6-8 Musk Avenue, Kelvin Grove (30 July-16 August 2025). Tickets $29-$65 (plus $5 transaction fee), with a Pay-What-You-Can showing on 14 August 2025. Rated 13+, with some coarse language, references to death, theatrical smoke/haze, and flashing lights. Runs for 75 minutes with no interval.
All images: Dean Hanson
