The Wave

In one sentence: a sung-through musical comedy about about love, climate chaos and finding the courage to choose your own future.

How did it come about?

I went to see Ordinary Days by Adam Gwon, directed by my friend Tyran Parke for his magnificent company, Clovelly Fox at fortyfive downstairs in 2025. Like so many people who attended that vibrant and thoroughly enjoyable production, I was quite taken with the outstanding performances of Joel Granger and Melanie Bird. As I went home that evening, I couldn’t help but think where was the Aussie version of that contemporary, small-scale musical comedy? Something that an independent company could mount, that didn’t require elaborate sets or complex technical features, that relied on good actors, clever and relatable text and enjoyable, yet complex piano-driven music. I decided that I would write one, but I’d need to find a good composer up for the challenge.

Gwon’s Ordinary Days is entirely sung through. This is a technical and artistic achievement, to say the least. Part of me wanted to see if I could pull off such a lyrical and storytelling feat. However, there were some things I wanted to do differently. Firstly, I wanted to limit the story to two actors, since my experience with trying to pitch plays with a cast of 4 has been that is a fairly large cast size these days (post Covid) and venues can’t really afford the fees needed to program larger casts. Secondly, I wanted to frame the female character differently. In Gwon’s musical, my observation is the male characters are largely waiting around for the female characters to stop being so neurotic so they can realise their ‘true feelings’ and progress the relationship. Now, I recognise that this trope is of its time and there are MANY ways to interpret this. However, as a writer I wanted to explore a dynamic that felt more relatable to me and that didn’t require the female character to change for him. Rather, in this story, she would discover her truth, with or without him. I wanted to play with musical comedy tropes and conventions, but in ways that ultimately orientated the story towards the female character’s empowerment.

Erin and I had known each other for a few years through connections with Sydney University, Melbourne University and our related music theatre research. But it wasn’t until she was just about to move to London, that I asked her if she wanted to write something together! So we have been meeting over zoom, sending files back and forth and are now about to develop this show with her joining remotely and me working with actors in a room. Thank you technology for making this possible.

Our process for writing this has been for me to create the story and libretto first. I decided to have actors read the lyrics aloud before any music was written. Since they had inspired the show, I called on Joel and Melanie. Not only did they totally get the tone and feel of the piece, but were also the most generous and clever actors, offering extremely useful feedback after we had a read. I reshaped the libretto and once it got to about draft 3, I handed it to Erin to start working on the music. Hopefully this process allows the story to be as clear as possible!

Brief synopsis
Suspecting she may be pregnant, Talia needs to know if her partner, Tim, can prove himself capable of parenthood. Throughout a housesit during the worst heatwave in history with a high-needs cat, telecommunication and internet services failing and no access to their usual comforts, Tim fails Talia’s tests, succumbing to bad habits. Talia hates the person she has become in trying to keep the relationship afloat but can't find the courage to end it. The strange rules of the apartment (set by the owner, Talia’s Aunty Stella) amplify their conflict, leading to separation, disaster and confessions. Finally, when the cool change hits, Talia realises that although they love each other, she has to be brave and start the life she really wants on her own.

Show info

Currently in development (Antipodes Residency, July 2026)

Book and lyrics by Jayde Kirchert
Music by Erin McKellar

2026 development cast: James Ydreos and Marina Lee