Content Warnings & Additional Information

Malthouse Theatre is a new work company, meaning that a lot of our productions are being written and rehearsed in-house, before premiering on one of our stages. 

A lot can change along the journey from concept to production, as scripts are redrafted, actors make discoveries, designers bring in new elements, and directors make big changes right up to Opening Night. 

We update content information throughout rehearsals as the show takes shape, and publish this on our dedicated Content Warnings page on the Malthouse website.

We do our best to warn you well in advance regarding what you’re about to see, but it’s important to be aware that things may change at the last minute.

You’ll find age recommendations and content warnings here on our website, pre-show emails, in your program and in the foyer on the night. If you do like to know what you’re in for, check back in here for the latest information. 

If you have further questions, you can always email or call us before your visit, or speak to our Box Office and Front of House teams on the night for more information or advice.

Education Bookings / if you would like to discuss any of these warnings further please contact our Education team at education@malthousetheatre.com.au

BE ADVISED THAT THE BELOW CONTENT WARNINGS MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS

This production contains coarse language, mature themes, sexual references, and partial nudity. Loud and dynamic sounds, herbal cigarettes, and haze are also used in the production.   

Strong coarse language  

  • ‘Shit’ and ‘fuck’ are used throughout the script. The word ‘cunt’ is used once when Jed recites a line from the movie Chopper.  

Mature themes 

  • Poverty, inequality and economic insecurity are key themes explored in the play 

  • There are themes of alcohol misuse, addiction and substance use (including references to vaping, smoking and drug use)  

  • References to domestic conflict and family trauma  

  • References to death, grief and loss  

  • Brief references to physical aggression and threats of violence  

  • Depictions of bodily waste and toileting-related content  

  • Discussion of medical procedures, pregnancy and childbirth 

Sexual references 

  • Discussions of sexual relationships and sexual activity  

  • References to grooming, child sexual abuse, paedophilia and exploitation  

Partial nudity  

  • Rae helps Pop take down his pants to clean him after an accident. Pop holds a towel in front of himself throughout. 

If you would like to speak with us about specific content, please contact box office on (03) 9685 5111 or email boxoffice@malthousetheatre.com.au 

The Nightline is a creative documentary concept, which in this instance means all the voices you hear in this show are actual voice message recordings from real people who have voluntarily contributed anonymous first-person stories and insights to The Nightline project, for our audiences to hear. Our ethical contract with these community participants is: what happens at The Nightline stays at The Nightline. As such, these often very intimate recordings can only be heard in The Nightline experience itself. 

The content in this bespoke Melbourne edition of The Nightline, created for Malthouse Theatre, contains coarse language, mature themes, sexual references, and references to death and dying.  

Periods of sustained darkness, as well as a short period of loud sound and ‘storm-like’ flashes of light are also used in the production.    

Health and hygiene management: 

Each audience member in this experience is seated at their own interactive telephone table-for-one. Central to the audience experience is picking up the handset of the old rotary-dial telephone on their table and placing it to their ear. Please be assured that all telephone handsets and audience touch points are hygienically cleaned with disinfectant wipes between shows. 

Audience agency: 

  • It may be useful to know that you will be shown how to switch between eight available channels of documentary voice material (choose-your-own-adventure style), via an interactive switchboard built into your table-for-one. The only exception to this rule is when ‘crossed-line’ moments occurs in the show structure. At these moments, all telephone ear-pieces will receive the same voice content, regardless of which audio-channel you are plugged into. Crossed-line moments occur at three points during the show. 

  • The show’s voice content can only be heard via the phone ear-pieces. If you’d like to take a break from listening to the voice content, you can chose to replace your telephone hand-set and only hear the work’s soundscape in the room’s surround-sound speaker system.  

If you need to leave mid-show: 

  • If for any reason, you’d like to leave the experience, simply raise your hand and a staff will assist you to safely exit the room in a timely manner. Due to low-lighting states and the immersive nature of this experience, it’s very important you do not attempt to exit the room unassisted. Once you have exited, it is not possible to re-enter the work.

Strong coarse language:  

  • The use of coarse language is minimal, however the words: ‘shit’, ‘fuck’, ‘penis’ and ‘titties’ are occasionally used by documentary voices in the work. 

Mature themes: 

  • Personal real-life references to alcohol misuse, cigarette smoking, marijuana smoking and gambling. 

  • Personal real-life references to experiences of death, grief, loneliness and loss (including in one instance, the impact of a suicide on a community of friends).  

  • Personal real-life references to economic insecurity and homelessness.  

  • Personal real-life references to physical assault, criminal behaviour, police violence, bullying and a road accident. 

  • Personal real-life references to medical procedures, pregnancy and childbirth. Voices in the work reference first-person experiences of: Restless Leg Syndrome, Insomnia, amputation, Autism, Parkinson’s Disease, Arthritis, Dementia, Depression and Anxiety – as well as medical treatments associated with these lived experiences. 

 Sexual references:  

  • Some of the voices in the work share personal stories about their sex life, including expressions of sexual desire and of infidelity. These stories are not explicit.  

 Lighting and sound sensitivity advice: 

  • If you have sound and/or lighting sensitivities, it may be useful to know that at approximately 18 minutes into the show, some flashes of bright light and loud sound effects will occur – which are designed to approximate the feeling of being momentarily in the middle of a ‘thunder storm’. Please be advised these effects will last approximately two minutes only. You are welcome to close your eyes and or block your ears for this period. 

  • Please be aware, the work includes extended periods of darkness and low lighting.

Statement of values: 

Please be aware that any opinions expressed in The Nightline’s documentary materials are those of the individual speaker and do not necessarily reflect the views and values of the creative team or of Malthouse Theatre.