Finally, a production that shines a spotlight on the complexities and insecurities our young, Aussie men face when it comes to gender and identity. Crafted from interviews with over 90 young Australian’s, Shane Pike’s world premiere production of Nineteen confronts the societal ideologies of masculinity head-on with an unmistakeable sense of Aussie humour.

The production follows a cast of four young men living together in a sharehouse. The group are childhood friends who have grown into manhood together, yet struggle to communicate or express themselves in any kind of meaningful way. With underlying themes of depression, loneliness, misogyny, binge drinking, betrayal and abuse, Nineteen uncovers the hidden side of finding yourself in a world filled with complexity and confusion.

In an inevitable tragic ending foreshadowed at the start of the production, the cast fantastically balance emotionally charged scenes with lines like “all men are either rapists or paedophiles” with laugh-out-loud laddish bravado.

The small cast of Daniel Hurst, Leonard Donahue, Jackson McGovern and Silvan Rus deserve a round of applause for an outstanding and genuine performance. Nineteen is a highly emotive and thought-provoking piece that I hope will spark discussion and forward social change.

By Tara Gosling