TUẤN'S PARTY: Election Night Drama gets Western Sydney Makeover

 
PYT Fairfield reimagines David Williamson's classic Don's Party for a new generation

The political is personal in PYT Fairfield's upcoming production of Tuấn's Party, a contemporary reimagining of David Williamson's seminal 1971 work Don's Party that relocates the action from inner-city Melbourne to the multicultural heartland of Western Sydney.

Set against the backdrop of the 2022 federal election (when lettuce was $11 a head and Kate Bush was mysteriously back on the charts) this new work follows newlyweds Tuấn and Natalia as they host their first dinner party since the pandemic. What begins as a celebration in their St John's Park home quickly descends into chaos as election results roll in and Dai Le's shock victory over Kristina Keneally in the seat of Fowler becomes the catalyst for deeper revelations about friendship, politics, and identity.

The production, devised and performed by PYT Fairfield's 2023 Company, maintains the DNA of Williamson's original: the claustrophobic intimacy of friends gathered around a television, watching democracy unfold while their personal relationships implode. But updates it for an era where political discourse feels increasingly fractured and generational divides run deep.

Creative Producer and Co-Writer Bina Bhattacharya makes a compelling case for the relevance of this reimagining: "Political commentary in this country often feels as though it's still harking back to the time when the original Don's Party premiered." The 2022 election results, with younger voters becoming the largest voting group for the first time, provide rich material for examining how multicultural communities in Western Sydney engage with the political process.

The casting reflects this commitment to authentic representation, with Sarah Gattellari, Terence Nguyen, Nathan Niguidula, Charnel Rizk, and Olivia Xegas bringing the four central characters to life under Neda Taha's direction. The writing team, led by Kobra Sayyadi and Bhattacharya, has crafted a work that promises to capture the specific rhythms and concerns of young Western Sydney, from the cost of living pressures to the complexities of cultural identity in contemporary Australia.

Don's Party has endured as a piece of Australian theatre precisely because it uses the microcosm of a social gathering to explore broader tensions about class, aspiration, and political disillusionment. By transplanting this framework to Western Sydney and focusing on a younger, more diverse cast of characters, Tuấn's Party has the potential to offer fresh insights into how these eternal themes play out in contemporary multicultural Australia.

The production's timing feels particularly apt. Recent elections have demonstrated the political sophistication of younger, diverse voters who refuse to be taken for granted by traditional parties. The shock result in Fowler, where community advocate Dai Le unseated Labor's parachuted candidate, exemplifies the kind of political upheaval that makes for compelling drama.

PYT Fairfield has built a reputation for nurturing authentic voices from Western Sydney's diverse communities, and Tuấn's Party appears to be another step in this ongoing mission. The company's commitment to collaborative creation, evident in the extensive writing credits, suggests a work that has emerged organically from the experiences and perspectives of its creators.

Theatre at its best holds up a mirror to society, and Tuấn's Party promises to reflect back an Australia that is younger, more diverse, and more politically engaged than the one depicted in the original Don's Party. Whether it can match Williamson's sharp wit and psychological insight remains to be seen, but the ambition to update this classic for a new generation is admirable.

For audiences seeking theatre that engages with contemporary political realities while maintaining the intimate human drama that makes great theatre endure, Tuấn's Party offers an intriguing proposition.

Tuấn's Party runs at PYT Fairfield from July 30 to August 2, with general public performances on August 1 and 2. Tickets are $29 plus booking fees.

Comments