Flat Earthers: The Musical — unhinged and hilarious

Like a party popper, this musical explodes with noise and colour, shooting bits of glitter, confetti and tiny streamers up into the atmosphere where they fall slowly on an unsuspecting audience. Frenetic and uber contemporary, Flat Earthers:The Musical is a wild ride through the pot-holed landscape of conspiracy theories using unreliable emotions like love, jealousy, and vengeance as navigation tools. 

This is the debut of their first full-length, main stage musical for writing trio Jean Tong, Lou Wall and James Gales, although their respective individual achievements have been many. 

A collaboration between Griffin Theatre and Hayes Theatre companies, this show brings together some powerhouse talent, both on stage and behind the scenes, and that probably accounts for the success of what could easily prove unwieldy in less capable hands.  

The setting is deliberately surreal and unspecified: it’s roughly now, roughly here, but it feels indefinable because the action takes place in cyber space and in a dystopian real world. This is established to great effect by Xanthe Dobbie’s video projections using classic computer visual pot pourri — emoticons, social media comments, text messages, memes, and so on. The visual design is intrinsic to the aesthetic and story telling. 

However, that does should not take away from the incredible performances by all cast members, but particularly Shannen Alyce Quan, Manali Datar, and a scene-munching Michelle Brasier. 

Quan plays Ria, an earnest member of a group of internet debunking vigilantes. During an online Q&A, she “meets” Flick (Datar), a hardcore adherent to the belief that the Earth is flat. Though diametrical at odds ideologically, the two feel an affinity and an online romance ensues. 

Having firmly swiped right, Ria embarks on a real world quest to debunk Flick’s beliefs and literally de-bunk Flick from her fortified bunker. To win Flick’s trust, Ria pretends to have become a Flat Earther. She meets Flick’s mums,  Freya (Amanda McGregor) and Fiona (Lena Cruz) and convinces them to let Flick leave and explore the outside world. 

However, a menace looms in the shape of arch-villain, Mz Prism (delectably played by Michelle Brasier) who appears to have some sort of grudge against Fiona, Freya and basically everybody. 

Prism threatens to blow up the world…yada yada happily ever after. (That’s a non-spoiler “yada” not a boring details “yada”). 

The jokes are fast and relentless, referencing current pop culture, well-known conspiracy theories, and digital media. The songs are a mix of rap, mainstream pop, and modern musical. 

Director, Declan Greene, has done a commendable job in allowing a potentially chaotic work to be presented in a clear, rhythmic way, so that jokes land, high points are reached, nuance is achieved and there is even a moment or two of pathos. 

Flat Earthers wont’ be for everybody, but if it seems like it might appeal to you, then definitely buy a ticket before you miss out. 

Until November 9

Hayes Theatre, 19 Greenknowe Ave, Elizabeth Bay

hayestheatre.com.au