Touring
By David Finnigan
A fruity apocalyptic rom-com
Girl meets boy.
Girl hates boy.
Girl fucks boy 44 times.
The world collapses.
Celina is a journalist stuck writing clickbait for a lifestyle blog. It falls to her to road test a new book, The 44 Sex Acts that Will Change your Life. All she has to do is experience 44 different kinds of sex, across the full spectrum of kink by Friday. Problem is: she needs a partner. And the only person available is her nemesis, brooding animal activist/office mail boy Alab Delusa. Sworn enemies, they now have one week to explore the endlessly undulating terrain of sex, from BDSM to role-play, from polyamory to exhibitionism. And with no time to recover. Can all this extra friction between them strike real sparks?
From the razor sharp quill of award-winning playwright provocateur, David Finnigan, 44 Sex Acts is a pressure cooker sex-com come radio play about what drives humanity to go all the way toward the end of civilisation as we know it.
Recommended for ages 16+
Winner: Best Play, The Stagey Place, Edinburgh Fringe 2024
Finalist: Best Ensemble, The Stagey Place, Edinburgh Fringe, 2024
Finalist: Patrick White Award
Finalist: Griffin Award
Shortlisted: The Verity Bargate Award
44 Sex Acts in One Week
Four naughty actors get busy on microphones and fruit in this slippery and subversive take on a classic radio play and the world as we know it.
David is a multi-award-winning playwright who works with climate and earth scientists. A consultant for the World Bank, the Stockholm Resilience Centre, the Earth Observatory Singapore, and Chatham House, David was awarded a Churchill Fellowship for his work combining research science with the performing arts.
David’s theatre work has been performed at the Barbican London, the Sydney Opera House, ArtScience Singapore, Belvoir Theatre, Melbourne’s AsiaTOPA Festival, the World Bank Understanding Risk Forum, FutureFest London, the Griffin Theatre in Sydney, the Cultural Center of the Philippines and Sydney Festival.
Sheridan is a highly-skilled actress (Prima Facie, Stop Girl, Calamity Jane, Muriel’s Wedding), cabaret performer and writer. Her self-penned and performed Songs for the Fallen won Best Musical and Outstanding Actress at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, as well as a Green Room Award for Best Artist.
An exciting new force in directing, she received a nomination for Best Director at the Sydney Theatre Awards for the premiere of the musical Dubbo Championship Wrestling, and directed the Sydney Festival season of 44 Sex Acts in One Week for Club House.
Sheridan is currently the Hayes Theatre fellow and is co-writing a new musical adaptation of My Brilliant Career for Melbourne Theatre Company.
Bec is an acclaimed actress working across film and television, and one of Australia’s most beloved theatre clowns. She founded Club House Productions as a naughty play space for skilled artists to colour outside the lines.
As she prepares to tour 44 Sex Acts in One Week to festivals both here and abroad, Bec is also developing Dance Dance Insurrection, the next instalment in David Finnigan's apocalyptic trilogy, as well as a large scale adaptation of It’s a Secret! with Bruce Gladwin, Lucy Guerin and Iain Grandage.
Trent is a celebrated designer working across all genres and scales of live performance: theatre, opera, musicals, concerts, events and even public art installations.
Throughout his extensive career, Trent has worked on a slew of high-profile productions, including Muriel's Wedding, The Rabbits and Frankenstein.
Steve is a Foley director and composer whose work has soundtracked countless theatre productions, including the raunchy cabaret Blanc De Blanc and Nakkiah Lui’s ground-breaking plays Blackie Blackie Brown and Black is the New White.
In addition to his theatre work, Steve also served as Ricki-Lee Coulter’s music director from 2012–14, and has collaborated with major Australian artists like Megan Washington and Samantha Jade.
Colm is a sought-after producer who currently serves as the Executive Director of the Gate Theatre in Dublin. He has previously worked for a slew of leading arts organisations, including Force Majeure, Landmark Productions, Druid Theatre and the STC.
After producing 44 Sex Acts in One Week for the Sydney Festival, Colm has continued working alongside Bec Massey, providing ongoing artistic support and mentorship.
Dans is a multi-skilled producer who has worked on a diverse array of productions for companies like Back to Back Theatre and Circus Oz, as well as touring with the world-famous Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre.
Throughout her career, Dans has contributed to the success of countless projects, including New York’s multi-venue dance festival, LaMama Moves.
Bec is an award-winning actress across film and television, and one of Australia’s beloved theatre clowns. She founded Club House Productions as a naughty play space for skilled artists to colour outside the lines.
As she prepares to tour 44 Sex Acts in One Week to festivals both here and abroad, Bec is also developing Dance Dance Insurrection, the next instalment in David Finnigan's apocalyptic trilogy, as well as a large scale adaptation of It’s a Secret! with Bruce Gladwin, Lucy Guerin and Iain Grandage.
Amber is a beloved Australian actor of the stage and screen. Since 2002, she has worked with a host of leading theatre companies including the MTC, Malthouse Theatre, STC, Belvoir, State Theatre Company of SA and Queensland Theatre Company. Her most recent works include the MTC’s North by Northwest and Windmill Theatre’s Girl Asleep.
Aaron is an accomplished actor, writer and voice-over artist who has worked across theatre, television and film. His credits include STC’s Muriel’s Wedding and No Pay? No Way!, as well as the short films Bamboozled, Incident 42, and Unimaginary, the latter two of which he also directed.
Nancy is a celebrated multidisciplinary artist who has been dancing and performing since the age of three. Since then, she’s gone on to appear in many film, television and theatre roles, including ABC’s Cleverman, Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby, Netflix’s 600 Bottles of Wine and the STC’s Blithe Spirit.
2024
2024
18 – 20 Jul
31 Jul – 26 Aug
Canberra Theatre Centre
Pleasance Theatre Edinburgh
2022
TIME OUT
★★★★
'A triumph... The actors share great chemistry and the joy and momentum of the theatrical spectacle is stripped bare to its primal beating heart – with some bells and whistles thrown in.' Read article
2020
SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
★★★★
'You've probably been waiting all year for something to make you laugh this hard.
Live foley performed by the cast has the thrill of feeling like you’re at an after-dark media-magic demonstration at Universal Studios...' Read article
2024
STAGE WHISPERS
'Sex positive, egalitarian, patriarchy-smashing, late-stage capitalism obliterating, empathic, relatable, and profound.' Read article
2024
SCENESTR
'Outlandish and imaginative show is the highlight of the Festival. You’ll never see fruit the same way.' Read article
We acknowledge the following organisations for their generous, ongoing support. With their help, Club House is able to achieve our creative and organisational goals.
