Pony Cam is bringing Burnout Paradise home after two years on the road. The show debuts at the Sydney Opera House (in the Studio) from 3 to 28 February 2027. That was following a run in New York, which earned the company the 2026 Drama Desk Award for Unique Theatrical Experience.
Burnout Paradise takes on hustle culture head-on. It’s built around a simple wager between the cast and the audience that devolves into a desperate attempt not to burn out while carrying out a succession of bizarre tasks, all while running on treadmills. The cast (Claire Bird, Ava Campbell, William Strom, Dominic Weintraub and Hugo Williams) are pushed to the absolute limits of their physical, mental and emotional capabilities.
The show follows a live game-show format, with audience volunteers able to come in and either help the cast or actively hinder them. As a result, no two shows will ever be the same.
Harry Prouse, Head of Contemporary Performance at the Sydney Opera House, said the show is in line with the Opera House’s summer program and its emphasis on local talent:
Burnout Paradise has an irreverent quality that makes it the perfect addition to a summer of fun at the Opera House. We’re excited to welcome this Australian company home for their first season after a whirlwind of international success as part of our commitment to platforming the best of homegrown talent. Raucous and unpredictable, this is definitely the most entertained you’ll be watching someone complete their to-do list.
Pony Cam themselves (the creators and performers) have explained how the show has developed over the course of its time on tour:
We create experiences that are unrepeatable, even when we perform them night after night. After two years touring Burnout Paradise around the world, we’ve refined it into a show where each audience feels essential to what happens; where people can be themselves and where, every night, they help us shape what happens. Burnout Paradise challenges the idea of what theatre can be. It’s joyful. It’s ecstatic. And it’s communal. Each night we all win, or we all lose together.
The experimental theatre collective formed in 2020, focusing on silliness and finding humour in modern tragedies. Burnout Paradise premiered with a sold-out season at the 2023 Melbourne Fringe Festival before touring North America and Europe, including seasons at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and off-Broadway in New York.
Burnout Paradise plays in the Studio at the Sydney Opera House from 3 to 28 February 2027. Pre-sales opened today, and general public tickets go on sale at 9.00am on Friday 6 November 2026. Booking information is available on the official Sydney Opera House website.
