Source: https://laboite.com.au/uploads/ESZ-Program-v3.1_1.pdf
“Eat, Slay, Zombie” is a genre-busting play. Go with an open mind, ready to immerse yourself in its antics. This is a performance that reignites playfulness in the audience. It creates a deeply safe place, rich in spirit. It’s a complex piece, harnessing song, dance, multimedia, film, TikTok, AI, interpersonal complexity, respect and trust.
Written by Alinta McGrady, a Githabul, Migunberri–Yugambeh and Gamilaroi woman through the PlayLab process as a “horror/comedy about colonisation, friendship, and state occupation — except it’s zombies”, Eat Slay Zombie is a play for the ages. Alinta co-directed the play with Lisa Fa’alafi, a Samoan-Australian known for pushing boundaries, her choreography and design work.
In essence, this is a Blak queer romp. It is about two bad arse black bitches against the world. A bloke turns up and destroys everything. Nicely. Respectfully. But it’s done. Then it’s mended. It’s a feel-good piece. It is a testament to the actors that they pulled this off so beautifully.
Juliette Coates, a proud Kamilaroi person, Shahnee Hunter a proud Djabuganydji, Mbabaram, Ewamian and Butchulla mum from Far North Queensland, and Jalen Sutcliffe with Darumbul, Kalkadoon, and Papua New Guinean heritage, braid the characters of Tash, Sheree and Brendan into one another, then disentangle themselves before recreating another, more complex yet more relaxed braid.
They dance, sing, film themselves on TikTok, appear on screens, chat with AI, and mostly survive amid the chaos with death-defying adventures. Oh, and there’s Doris…two of them.
The audience was raucous. Aunties ruled. The walk from Acacia Ridge to Inala is long, given the number of zombies. Some sad moments when a character had to kill their parents, but how else do you deal with zombies?
Nevin Howell and Marshall Gray pulled together some nifty audio-visuals. Brianna Stanton and George Pitt didn’t miss a beat with the lighting that Teegan Kranenburg designed.
The first night audience came dressed for the Zombie apocalypse and hooted and hollered along with the cast.
A rollicking night out.
This one is highly recommended. It’s a play worth a second viewing.
On at La Boite until 30 May. https://laboite.com.au/
Kerry McGovern
