Stars are falling from the sky, but why? Clearly, it is a portent of things to come. The end of the world is nigh. When? No-one can say, but it is happening. Nevertheless, it is just another nightshift for former schoolmates Sam (Ally Taueki-Gatt) and Frankie (Finn Corr).
The pair works casually in a grocery store, which appears to service very few customers. Outside the door of the shop is a dying star stuck in the ground (a well realised prop, I should quickly add). The duo has different views on what it means to be a good person in the face of a global crisis. One is a virtue signaller and the other is an armchair socialist.
Activism seems to be the answer, but then aggressively championing his beliefs took away a colleague of theirs, Alex (who we never meet). He was passionate and acted on his drive, but he was injured and now he has disappeared. In the wake of that, are Sam and Frankie really prepared to put their bodies on the line?
Writer/director Bronte LeMaire wrote the show to critique herself. At university, she found herself justifying why she wasn’t participating in the sit-ins, rallies and radical actions that she values. She was frustrated with who she had become, posing the question “if I cared, then why wasn’t I with them?” So, she came up with I Thought You Said to examine what stopped her and what the cost of a lack of action was.
I thought this was an hour and 15 minutes of mucking around, trash talking and disagreement between Sam and Frankie on how to handle the situation they were in. At times, I found it difficult to understand which of them was representing which position. I believe that needed far greater clarity. And when they were yelling at each other, they were totally incomprehensible.
I felt the whole script needed more substance (it was too thin … too light on and didn’t come close to justifying its running time). Sorry to say it, but I quickly became bored. The actors were capable enough – personable enough. I don’t believe that was the issue. In truth, I needed to care more. I never became invested in what I was seeing and that really is a problem.
There is the kernel of a good idea here, but more work is needed in Tip Toe Theatre’s debut play. I Thought You Said is on at Theatre Works’ Explosives Factory until 7th March, 2026.
Alex First
Other reviews you might enjoy:
- Now, at Theatre Works’ Explosives Factory – theatre review
- He Partied Like It’s 1999, at Theatre Works’ Explosives Factory – theatre review
- The Selkie Project (Theatre Works’ Explosives Factory) – theatre review
Alex First is the editor of The Blurb. Alex is a Melbourne based journalist and communications specialist. He also contributes to The Blurb on film and theatre.