Boxing Day BBQ
COMMISSIONED BY ENSEMBLE THEATRE
BUY THE SCRIPT HERE THROUGH PLAYLAB OR AMAZON KINDLE
“I hope to live to be another man from what I was.” Ebenezer Scrooge. A Christmas Carol.
“I wanna live again! I wanna live again! I wanna live again!” George Bailey. It’s a Wonderful Life.
The tinsel is down, the wrapping paper is in the bin, and the tree is already on the curb. But there’s one more event to get through - the annual Boxing Day Barbeque. With the sun beating down and the cricket commentary in the background, an unruly family struggle to connect while failing to notice the danger lurking on the horizon. Oh, and all the bees are gone, which isn’t good.
Inspired by holiday classics like A Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life, A Boxing Day Barbeque is a playful examination of family, the stories we tell ourselves and the important decisions we face about the future of our planet.
REVIEWS.
★★★★1/2 Don’t be fooled. Sam O’Sullivan’s new play, commissioned by the Ensemble Theatre, is so much more than an observational comedy about Christmas... inventive, challenging and ultimately delightful. Sydney Morning Herald
It’s the bees knees... Boxing Day BBQ is comedy of surprise and suspense, despair and delight, and, yes, comfort and joy. Australian Stage
★★★★1/2 All shows should be this good... Boxing Day BBQ is unpretentiously perfect ... Ensemble has handed us a great theatrical Christmas present. Cultural Binge
Boxing Day BBQ is a blistering comedy that beholds the holiday season in all its mess and glory... A must-see production. Weekend Notes
Skilfully written and deftly directed. Its characters are real, tangible. The plot is multi-layered and very carefully developed. What a great way the Ensemble has chosen to end 2022! Stage Whispers
Boxing Day BBQ is a delightful example of taking the Christmas comedy and turning it on its head to produce an insightful, joyous, and moving piece of theatre. Northside Living
Sam O’Sullivan’s Boxing Day BBQ is a fun take on some serious fracture lines in our society. Directed by Mark Kilmurry, the cast deliver comic magic. Theatre Red
If you fancy a bit of holiday cheer with a sting in the tail get along to Boxing Day BBQ. It delivers in spades…or perhaps, spatulas. MindFood
GALLERY.
