The Sunshine Club — Queensland Theatre

Overview

Catch Queensland Theatre's latest production and you'll catch a slice history in more ways than one. The Sunshine Club sets its feel-good story in 1946, and follows a First Nations serviceman coming home to Brisbane from World War II — and, if it sounds familiar, that's because it was first staged in 1999.

In fact, back when the play made its debut 23 years ago, a heap of now-huge theatre names were involved, including Wesley Enoch, David Page, Roxanne McDonald, Stephen Page, Ursula Yovich, Wayne Blair, Elaine Crombie, Tessa Rose and Christen O'Leary.

This time, during The Sunshine Club's QPAC Playhouse run from Saturday, July 9–Saturday, July 30, former Queensland Theatre Artistic Director Enoch directs. He knows the material; he was commissioned to create the original, after all.

Alongside Enoch, composer John Rodgers, musical director Wayne Freer and costume designer Richard Roberts all return, too.

In the new staging, Marcus Corowa (Bran Nue Dae) plays Frank Doyle, who heads back from the battlefields eager to restart his life with girl next door Rose (Irena Lysiuk, The Marriage of Figaro). This couldn't be a look back at the era — even a fictional one — without exploring Australia's history of race relations, of course, but Frank endeavours to overcome society's prejudices by starting his own ballroom where everyone is welcome.

Images: Brett Boardman.