TheatreiNQ heads back to the 80s with Terri Brabon directing ‘The Assignment’

A larger-than-life coming-of-age tale is the backdrop for TheatreiNQ’s latest on-stage showing.

Emma Smith and Ava Saldana Lopez are part of the cast for TheatreiNQ's latest production The Assignment. Picture: Evan Morgan

Its 1989 and for a Molly Ringwald wannabe called Jamie living in a small country town life is all about Young Talent Time, Kylie Minogue and dance, dance and dance.

But when Jamie is accused of cheating on an assignment life begins to intrude on her dancing dreams.

The Assignment is the latest offering from TheatreiNQ and is a coming-of-age-comedy celebrating growing up in the glorious 80s with larger than life hair with larger than life clothing and the birth of MTV.

The production has been written and directed by the company’s artistic director Terri Brabon, and features the emerging talents of TheatreiNQ’s Bridge Project students.

Brabon said the play was derived from elements of her own life growing up in a small country town.

“It was inspired really by my work with young people and their experiences at high school and how different they were to mine and my memories of high school,” she said.

She said the show would resonate with audiences because the 80s were back in vogue and everyone had different high school experiences.

“I think it just no matter how old you are it (the play) seems to just jog your memory and gets you thinking and reflecting on your high school experience

Emma Smith and Ava Saldana Lopez are part of the cast for TheatreiNQ's latest production The Assignment. Picture: Evan Morgan

“Whether that’s because it’s completely different, or because it resonates with you, and that’s really lovely, I think, and the friendships that you make at high school and the friendships you have when you’re teenager.”

She said the play was not about fitting in with others.

“It’s about learning to be a good person. When you break a friend’s trust then you learn not everybody will forgive you, or that you have to face the consequences for those things.

“It will cost you something, and it’ll cost you something in your friendship and then you have to build that back. I think high school is when you really learn to navigate life. It’s a microcosm of a future world,” she said.

The Assignment opens at the Clubhouse in Hyde Park this Wednesday night and runs from June 11-21. To book go to https://www.theatreinq.com/the-assignment-2025

Originally published as TheatreiNQ heads back to the 80s with Terri Brabon directing ‘The Assignment’