‘Big Dreams. Bigger Doubts. Big Yikes!’

Meet Lorrie. Sorry… Loxie. Loxie is cooler. She’s rebranding so as not to be mistaken with a load bearing truck. She wouldn’t want you to know that though – she doesn’t like being ‘perceived’.

Loxie is leaving school, starting her first job, moving out of home, and waiting for Uni offers. She’s entering her adulting era. ‘Finding yourself’ is hard when you’re searching in a rundown share house, the situationship you THINK you have with your coworker, and under the constant nagging of your divorced parents.

Big Yikes! is a coming-of-age story that explores boundaries, decision making and autonomy while asking the big questions like “what is my purpose?”, “what should I do with my life?” and “why does my housemate leave lentils in the fridge to rot?”

THEMES: Coming-of-age, Anxiety, “What’s my purpose?”

LENGTH: 90 Minutes, no interval

CHARACTER AGES: 18-30

NO. OF CHARACTERS: 20 (Large Cast)

SUITABLE FOR: Middle & Senior Years, Adults

Big Yikes! was first produced by Playlab Theatre and premiered at the The Underground Theatre, Brisbane Powerhouse from the 13 March – 23 March, 2024.

Director/Dramaturg: Ian Lawson

Lighting Designer: Geoff Squires

Sound Designer: Brady Watkins

Production Manager: Nicola Jones

Stage Manager: Mikayla Hosking

Assistant Stage Manager: Teddy Waddingham

Cast: Juliette Milne, Billy Fogarty, Teneille Plunkett, Christopher Paton

“It’s a moment of pure cringe – the good kind.” – Nick Dent, Brisbane Times 

“Millennials and Gen Z assemble because this is the show for us!” – Stage Buzz Brisbane 

“Big Yikes! emerges as a poignant coming-of-age tale that navigates the tumultuous waters of self-discovery with wit, heart, and authenticity. Through its resonant storytelling and stellar performances, the production not only entertains but also offers a mirror for audiences to reflect on their own journey of growth and self-actualization.” – Jake Goodall, Jakes Art Adventures 

“…glorious and genuinely hilarious, while at the same time making thoughtful commentary about the state of the world.” – Claire Christian, Artshub

“It’s clear why this play has been deemed perfect for school groups and tours.” – Bridie Middleton, Stage Door Podcast 

EDUCATION NOTES: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://playlabtheatre.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Big-Yikes-Education-Notes.pdf

DRAMA 

Unit 1: Share (Linear)

Students explore the importance of drama as a means to tell stories and share understandings of the human experience …Students study this unit with the purposes of empowering and informing audiences through storytelling as a dramatic form.

Unit 2: Reflect (Realism)

Students explore the power of drama to reflect lived experience with the purposes of informing and challenging audiences, understanding and empathising with the truth of others’ experiences, and chronicling/documenting and celebrating what it is to be human.

DRAMA IN PRACTICE 

Unit D: Commentary (Commenting on Social Issues)

Students explore theatre practitioners and the commentary made in their works through viewing live productions. Through the study of the work of real-world practitioners, students explore theatre-making processes to build understanding of how drama comments on contemporary issues. 

SOCIAL & COMMUNITY STUDIES 

Core Topic 1-3 (Personal, Interpersonal & Citizenship)

Students establish a basis for further education and employment. It allows them to manage change, to be resilient and adaptive, and to develop strategies so that they can cope with the demands of the post-school transition period. 

HEALTH

Unit 4: Respectful Relationships in Post School Transitions

Students investigate the role of respectful relationships in the post-schooling transition. They propose justified strategies to enhance the diffusion of those innovations for their Year 12 cohort to support a successful post-schooling transition.

ENGLISH

Unit 1: Perspectives and Texts

Students explore individual and/or collective experiences and perspectives of the world through engaging with a variety of texts.  

Unit 3: Textual Connections

Students explore connections between texts by examining representations of the same concepts and issues in different texts. In doing so, they consider how the textual constructions of the same concepts and issues in different texts resonate, relate to, and clash with one another.