Angus Cameron’s Australian Open will make its 2025 debut at Brisbane’s PIP Theatre this week. A fast-paced comedy with a stellar script, Australian Open employs a queer lens to challenge traditional relationships, explore family dynamics, and critique the notion of hyper-masculinity in sport.
Ahead of the show’s debut, Not Safe For Queers speaks with performer Tye Shepherd who explains exactly what drew him to the production, his favourite part of the show, and what he hopes audiences will take away from Australian Open.
“In a nutshell, it was the script itself that drew me to the work,” Tye Sheperd begins. “It touches on themes of open relationships, what relationships mean to various people, the narratives we get fed in society, and how those narratives get challenged by those who dare lean into curiosity.”
More than that, it’s the portrayal of his character that Shepherd was drawn towards.
He explains, “I play the character of Felix who has been in a committed but open relationship with his boyfriend Lucas. And Felix is so full of internal uncertainty and conflict, and he’s drawn in these two different directions, so I think that was something that definitely resonated with me personally.”
The Cast of Angus Cameron’s ‘Australian Open’
Throughout the duration of Australian Open, characters engage in back-and-forths with one other in scenes not entirely unlike those you might see during your own family gathering. Many a punchline are delivered with near-perfect comedic timing, Shepherd says, but for him, it’s Felix’s solo address which packs the hardest punch.
“Felix does have—I guess you could say—a bit of a dramatic monologue,” Shepherd laughs. “And it goes some way to explain how he might be feeling with these questions which challenge his notion of what it is to be queer in our society. I don’t particularly want to give too much away. I want to leave something for the audience. But it depicts what he’s painted as his safe identity.”
Overall, these performances encourage audiences to laugh at, reflect on, and question the validity of some of the traditions that society has held up for decades.
“Audiences are definitely going to come along and have a night of light-hearted comedy, but they’re also going to leave with some of those thought-provoking conversations after the production,” Shepherd reflects.
“So that’s what I’m hoping they take away, because I think that Angus has done a really clever job of wrapping up a few topics that could be quite challenging to digest. You know, it’s that old adage—if you get someone to laugh, you’ve sort of got them and there’s that warm invitation to come in and be part of that conversation and that experience.”
Angus Cameron’s Australian Open plays at Brisbane’s PIP Theatre 8—18 January. Tickets on sale now.