This is a play about hunger and desire. It’s Romeo and Juliet pushed to deranged extremes, where the unlikely sweethearts are a 14-year old boy and a young fox with brutal birthrights.
Rdeca’s whole family have fleas. Her mum is pushing her into making her first kill, a snivelling mole, before she’s ready.
Basti is being bullied at school by kids who call him a shrimp. His dad is too busy flirting with the neighbour to be of any real help.
Beneath the light of a full moon, Basti captures Rdeca, and so begins a starcross’d romance between hunter and prey.
Rita Kalnejais (BC, Babyteeth) makes a blood-splattered return from London with a play that’s blisteringly funny, provocative and just plain freaky. First Love is the Revolution is Fantastic Mr Fox if Margaret Atwood wrote the Netflix adaptation.
Director Lee Lewis says expect gore—and lots of it.
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Content Warning
This production contains adult themes, depictions of violence, theatrical haze, the use of real feathers, and a dash of blood.
Director Lee Lewis
Lighting Designer Trent Suidgeest
Composer & Sound Designer David Bergman
Designer Ella Butler
Stage Manager Khym Scott
With Amy Hack, Rebecca Massey, Bardiya McKinnon, Sarah Meacham, Guy Simon and Matthew Whittet
Preview 1– 5 November
Opening Nights 6 & 7 November
Season 8 November – 14 December
Performance Times
Monday – Friday 7pm
Saturday 2pm & 7pm
Run Time
100 minutes no interval
Meet The Artists
Tuesday 12 November
Captioned Performance
Tuesday 3 December
[Images by Brett Boardman]
First Love is the Revolution | Trailer
First Love is the Revolution | Meet the Team
Lee Lewis on First Love is the Revolution
“A breath of fresh air – zippy with kinetic energy, endlessly amusing and very endearing” ★★★★ Debbie Zhou, TimeOut
“Playful, moving and shocking. Above all, it makes you constantly check in on your assumptions. What is love? What is human?” ★★★★½ Harriet Cunningham, Sydney Morning Herald
“One of the most eccentric and beguiling coming-of-age stories you will ever encounter.” ★★★★½ Jason Blake, Audrey Journal
“First Love Is The Revolution is enthralling theatre. The play delivers a joyous experience of wildly imaginative storytelling that works on many levels… Recommended without reservation.” ★★★★½ Diana Simmonds, Stage Noise
“Kalnejais has crafted a play that is inventive, intelligent and moving” ★★★★½ Theatre People
“It’s a wacky but wonderful idea that leads to a very funny, sweet rom-com providing plenty to ponder around life, death and a plethora of human emotions.” ★★★★ Limelight Magazine
“Passionate and joyous, the zesty production is directed by Lee Lewis, who leaves no stone unturned, in her explorations of this idiosyncratic text, to deliver an experience full of tension and intrigue. Funny, intelligent and highly captivating, First Love Is The Revolution is as entertaining as it is meaningful.” Suzy Wrong, SuzyGoesSee
“First Love is the Revolution never ceases to surprise, entertain and engage.” Richard Cotter, Australian Stage
“A brilliantly presented heartwarming and hilarious modern tale of nature and civilization colliding in a most absurd but beautiful way.” Jade Kops, Broadway World
This production is supported by Harvey Norman and Dyson, who have donated a vacuum fit for collecting hundreds of chicken feathers, night after night.
@griffintheatre