With only a couple more days left in the run for Cost of Living at the Billie Brown Theatre, things will soon begin moving to present the next theatrical production which Queensland Theatre is bringing to Queensland audiences. Directed by Queensland Theatre’s former artistic director Lee Lewis OAM, POTUS, Or Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive (POTUS for short) is set to make its Australian premiere on 27 July 2024. Written by emerging playwright Selina Fillinger, the play was nominated for three Tony awards and offers a satirical look at American politics through the lens of an all-female ensemble.
The narrative follows a fictitious President of the United States whose offensive blunder in front of the media and foreign dignitaries sets off a chaotic series of events. The plot unfolds over 24 hours, featuring seven dynamic women dealing with misplaced hallucinogenic drugs, a sex scandal, and an assassination attempt.
The cast includes a notable leading cast, including Amy Ingram (Family Values, Boy Swallows Universe), Christen O’Leary (Ladies in Black, Triple X), Emily Burton (Othello, Storm Boy), Emily Liu (White China), Jodie Le Vesconte (Family Values), Wendy Mocke (Bernhardt/Hamlet, Taming of the Shrew), and Paula Arundell (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child).
POTUS will run at the Billie Brown Theatre from 27 July 2024 include 24 August 2024 inclusive, and is one production I am personally very excited to see. Tickets for all performances, including a special ‘Night with the Artists’ performance on 5 August 2024 at 6.30pm, can be purchased via the Queensland Theatre website or their box office.
Commenting on the season, Lee Lewis OAM, Director, shared:
Set in the White House, POTUS is a farce with seven women who are quite literally trying to piece back the American government after one swear word. This young playwright in Fillinger has managed to write some of the most extraordinary comic lines to get us through the most devastating truths about power.
Playwright Selina Fillinger also shared:
Unprecedented times require unprecedented courage. I started working on POTUS when I was a very scared, very sad 23-year-old woman who needed to laugh. I wrote this play to give myself joy, catharsis, and courage. I hope it offers audiences the same.
Queensland Theatre Executive Director, Criena Gehrke has stated:
POTUS is a satire about the hypocrisy of American politics and the people that work furiously behind the scenes to hold chaos together. It’s bold and brash but makes for an incredibly timely, and equally powerful story to bring to the stage. It’s written by a woman, directed by a woman and features a fierce all-female cast making it another outstanding piece of diverse storytelling that we’re excited to bring to the Queensland stage.
