Playfight by Julia Grogan is a powerful and emotionally ragged play that starts innocently enough and then builds to a dark and challenging peak. Keira (Ana Chaya Scotney), Lucy (Liv Parker) and Zainab (Mirabai Pease) are three fifteen year old students who meet up regularly at a tree where they discuss boys, sex, and other things. Keira is the most experienced sexually, whereas Lucy is more reserved and from a religious family. Zianab is the more introspective and working out her sexuality.
As they grow older they continue to argue, over share, and talk about how their lives are evolving. As relationships and careers develop at tension grows between the women and their lives become more complex. Ultimately the play takes a darker turn when tragedy strikes.
This is a very intimate production with the audience surrounding the actors which means we see every expression, every nuanced movement delivered with impeccable honesty. Scotney, Parker, and Pease are incredibly good together and all convincingly play characters who are at least 10 years younger than each of the actresses. These raw and vulnerable performances were incredibly touching.
The play was staged in Silo Hall, an old community building that has some acoustic issues that at times mean dialogue was difficult to hear, but the building does have a very cool aesthetic and provides the aforementioned intimacy for the audience.
Playfight is an engrossing, impeccably performed play that is thought provoking and deeply emotional.
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PLAYFIGHT
14-30 May 2026
Silo Hall