Boys on The Verge of Tears
Writer: Sam Grabiner
Cast: Ben Walter, Karl Richmond, Justin Hosking, Damon Baudin, Akeel Purmanund
with: Pepe Wright, Avyakt Pawar, Smith Barling
Director: Keegan Bragg
Producer: Ben Andrews
Stage Manager: Ella Campbell
Lighting + Sound Operator: Zsuzsa Gaynor Mihaly
Set Design: Ben Andrews
Costume Design + Scenic Art: Louisa Fitzgerald
Lighting Design: Georgina Wolfe
Sound Design & Composition: Ethan Hunter
Drag Wig + Makeup Artist: Becky Silveira
Marketing: Bridie Pamment
Vocal / Accent Coach: Matt Furlani
Intimacy Coordinator: Tegan Crowley
★★★★ “Produced by The Maybe Pile, which also gave us Trophy Boys, it’s an outstanding premiere of a compelling new play, among the best Melbourne’s indie theatre has to offer.” Cameron Woodhead, The Age
★★★★ “At times hilarious and others poignant” Kim Hitchcock, Arts Hub
“The Maybe Pile has another hit on their hands… And the work of the ensemble of actors is truly thrilling.” Keith Gow, Theatre First
Premiering at the Soho Theatre in London, and recipient of the prestigious Verity Bargate Award, Sam Grabiner’s Boys on the Verge of Tears – set entirely within the intimate confines of a men’s public bathroom, is a bold, searing exploration of masculinity and youth, capturing the raw, unfiltered lives of boys and men grappling with identity, vulnerability, and the pressure to conform.
In its Australian premiere, presented by the producers of runaway hit Trophy Boys (fortyfivedownstairs 2023), five of Melbourne’s finest actors will embody over 45 characters as this deeply human play unfolds in a unique series of encounters: moments of recklessness, bravado, and unexpected tenderness, immersing audiences in the unfiltered experience of young men navigating the tumultuous journey towards adulthood.
With sharp humour and a profound sensitivity to the complexities of coming-of-age, Grabiner’s play dismantles masculine façades of toughness and dissects the fears, dreams, and insecurities buried beneath. This remarkable work resonates universally and speaks directly to our times, inviting audiences into a world both familiar and painfully revealing, a world that lingers long after the final bow.
★★★★ “At times hilarious and others poignant” Kim Hitchcock, Arts Hub
“The Maybe Pile has another hit on their hands… And the work of the ensemble of actors is truly thrilling.” Keith Gow, Theatre First
Premiering at the Soho Theatre in London, and recipient of the prestigious Verity Bargate Award, Sam Grabiner’s Boys on the Verge of Tears – set entirely within the intimate confines of a men’s public bathroom, is a bold, searing exploration of masculinity and youth, capturing the raw, unfiltered lives of boys and men grappling with identity, vulnerability, and the pressure to conform.
In its Australian premiere, presented by the producers of runaway hit Trophy Boys (fortyfivedownstairs 2023), five of Melbourne’s finest actors will embody over 45 characters as this deeply human play unfolds in a unique series of encounters: moments of recklessness, bravado, and unexpected tenderness, immersing audiences in the unfiltered experience of young men navigating the tumultuous journey towards adulthood.
With sharp humour and a profound sensitivity to the complexities of coming-of-age, Grabiner’s play dismantles masculine façades of toughness and dissects the fears, dreams, and insecurities buried beneath. This remarkable work resonates universally and speaks directly to our times, inviting audiences into a world both familiar and painfully revealing, a world that lingers long after the final bow.
Ben Andrews, fortyfivedownstairs, 2025
