It’s relatable, darkly funny and, most of all, real
—The Age
This is Living feels electric with lived-in truth
—Time Out
Ash Flanders has crafted a densely layered offering, with no shortage of light and shade
—The Blurb
Directed with a deft hand
—ArtsHub
The range each actor possesses on stage is a marvel to watch
—Milk Bar Mag
A study of love, friendships and chosen families
—ArtsHub

Check your emotional baggage at the door because this self-described gang of queers, singles, and divorcees is going on holiday. Hugh has organised a fabulous weekend away for his partner and their best girlfriends in Hepburn’s finest to escape a year from hell. But even deli meats, medicinal hydroponics and soaking in spring water can’t fix everything. Try as you might to float on the surface, life has a funny way of bubbling up—and over.

Writer Ash Flanders is notorious for crafting caustic comedy that makes you laugh ‘til you hurt, only this time he’s gone somewhere completely unexpected… the real world. This semi-autobiographical play is the saltiest, sweetest, and most honest look at love and friendship you’ll see.

Because when shit hits the fan it’s your chosen family who’ll clean you up—once they’ve stopped laughing. So pack an overnighter and enjoy the only safe seat on a getaway you won’t want to get away from. This Is Living!

Wil King Headshot

Cast / 'Will'

Wil King

Michelle Perera Headshot

Cast / 'Sharleen'

Michelle Perera

Georgia Sealey Headshot

Assistant Stage Manager

Georgia Sealey

ASSOCIATE SOUND SYSTEM DESIGNER /

Gideon Cozens

VOICE ARTIST /

Eva Seymour

VOICE ARTIST /

Khisraw Jones-Shukoor

VOICE ARTIST /

Artemis Ioannides

VOICE ARTIST /

Katherine Tonkin

BESEN PLACEMENT (DIRECTING) /

Kitan Petkovski

INTERN (SET & COSTUME DESIGN) /

Chiara Wenban

INTERN (LIGHTING) /

Océane Federow-Yemm 

CAMPAIGN IMAGE /

Kristian Gehradte

TRAILER /

Einwick Productions

Event & ticketing details

Accessibility

See here for more information on accessibility for this production.

Performance Times

PREVIEWS /
7.30pm, Fri 7 Jul
7:30pm, Sat 8 Jul
6:30pm, Mon 10 Jul
6:30pm, Tue 11 Jul
OPENING NIGHT /
7.30pm, Wed 12 Jul
IN SEASON /
6:30pm, Tue – Wed
7:30pm, Thu – Sat
2.00pm, Sat (Matinee)
6:30pm, Sun
TIME TO TALK /
6.30pm, Tue 18 Jul
AUDIO DESCRIBED /
7.30pm, Thu 20 Jul
RELAXED PERFORMANCE /
2pm, Sat 22 Jul

Duration

140 minutes (including a 20 minute interval)

Content notes

This production contains smoke/haze, frequent coarse and derogatory language, frequent discussions of terminal illness and mortality, references to death, dying and suicide, consensual and non-consensual depictions of alcohol, drug use and smoking of herbal cigarettes, references to sexual assault, depictions of a panic attack and references to arson.

All warnings are subject to change, please check back closer to the time of performance for an updated list of potentially sensitive content. 

FREQUENT COARSE AND DEROGATORY LANGUAGE

The following words are used frequently throughout the show:

Fuck, Fucking

The following derogatory terms are used on occasion throughout the show:

Slut, Bitch, Motherfucker, Fag (in the context of a cigarette)

 

Misgendering:

There is a scene where one character accidentally but repeatedly misgenders a non-binary drag queen. The misgendered character is not present in the scene.

 

FREQUENT DISCUSSION OF CANCER, TERMINAL ILLNESS AND MORTALITY

The story centres around the character of Hugh, who has been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Hugh also mentions acquiring Graft Versus Host Disease. Consequently, there is frequent discussion surrounding Hugh’s illness and mortality. Mid-play Hugh is admitted into hospital – but all interactions regarding the hospital occur off stage and in the sound design of the show.

There is also mention of an unseen character named Catherine who passed away from Malignant Glioma.

 

REFERENCES TO DEATH, DYING AND SUICIDE

Throughout the show, there are multiple references to death, dying and suicide.  
The characters often colloquially use the terms kill and murder.

There is a singular mention of a fear of a student of Jo’s committing suicide if they fail their course at university and a singular joke regarding ‘death by suicide’.

 

DEPICTIONS OF ALCOHOL AND DRUG CONSUMPTION — BOTH CONSENSUAL AND NON-CONSENSUAL

There are multiple occurrences where the characters depict the consumption of alcohol and being intoxicated.
There are multiple occurrences where the characters depict the consumption of medical-grade THC oil (Tetrahydrocannabinol) and are high on stage.

 

One character gives another character a full pipette of the THC without her consent—tricking her into thinking it is herbal medicine that will aid with the pain of a sprained ankle.

There is a mention of heroine but the consumption of it is not depicted on stage.

 

REFERENCES TO SEXUAL ASSAULT

There is a singular mention of the Nirvana song Rape Me.

There is a singular mention of a TV host being fired—implying it is for sexual assault allegations.

 

DEPICTION OF A PANIC ATTACK  

In Act Two, the character of Will suffers from a panic attack on stage.  

 

REFERENCE TO ARSON

A story is recalled by the characters in which one individual assisted another in setting a car on fire to commit insurance fraud. No individuals were harmed.

 

USE OF HERBAL CIGARETTES AND THEATRICAL SMOKE

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