New South Wales Uni Theatrical Society swooped the audience off with their show "Whose Play Is It Anyway?" Hosted in the Esme Theatre from the 9th to the 13th of June. It was an ensemble of 4 acts, each equally captivating and delightful to watch. Its perfect lighting, props, and costumes made the play come to life. The actors were only feet away from me, but their performances transported me into an entirely different world. 

Anton is a restaurant owner & manager who is expecting his girlfriend to show up for a date tonight. But first, he had to host his high school bully, Tony. Even after so many years, Anton remains intimidated by him and yearns to take revenge. He conspires to add extra spices to his food. The cook, who is his well-wisher, explains that this is futile. But Anton wants revenge.

I loved the plot twist when Tony’s date turned out to be Anton’s supposed date. Instead of being enraged at her, he becomes enraged at Tony. His panic at things not going to plan is so engaging combined with the lights flickering as his emotions bubble up, and enhanced by George Tsakiris' acting really brought the panic attack to life. The scene ends on a soft note, where Anton delivers a monologue where he realises that it is futile to want perfection all the time.

It made me hungry. Honestly. Because this act was all about a Chinese woman eating a mooncake. And boy did Rhianna Doncaster eat. Literally & figuratively.

I am obsessed with how they showed the shadow play, which helped visualise the story of the moon goddess. I was really moved by how she just narrated all these stories that defined her identity as a Chinese. Roseanna Huang wrote out the perfect monologue to give you goosebumps. One of the most touching lines was about how being Chinese is cool now, with everyone wanting to know their zodiac year, and being obsessed with Chinese dramas and food. But she didn’t get to choose to be a part of this cool trend. She is always Chinese, no matter what. The writing was raw, and Rhianna Doncaster killed it with her moving acting. Her liveliness kept the audience engaged and enthralled.

I was in love with the costumes. So, shoutout to the costume team for coming up with the cutest crochet bunny ears.

The play was about a big bad wolf who was set on eating rabbits. But he didn't only consume them physically, but instead took their voices & used them to lure the other rabbits to him. Penelope Rahadear wants to be a star, a musical sensation. She wants her name to be remembered. She is reckless and wild.

Natasha Townley really acted like a teenage bunny who couldn't live her dreams. Her recklessness leads to the big bad wolf, played by Hayato Kato, knocking on her family's doorstep. By far, this act had the largest cast, but all of them held the stage with poise, elegance, and a certain charm.

This act was singled out in honour of Pride month. It had two friends, Eva (Surya Negi) & Iris (Hades Chivas), getting their tattoos done as they discussed their sexual identities, relationships, & fears. It was beautiful how they were able to discuss all these concepts while sitting on the floor the entire time. It was as if they were really talking about it in real life. Not acting it out for an audience, but having a heartfelt conversation.

Overall, I would rate the entire production a success. It was nicely directed & produced. The background stage crew was not muted & acted lively. It was not a pressured or formal act; instead, it was real, raw & powerful. It was acted through the love of the heart & thoughts that come from the depths of one's creative mind.

I recommend everyone to attend all NUTS productions.

Reet is a third-year computer engineering student who spends equal amounts of time debugging code and analysing plot twists. With a love for mystery, science fiction, and all things storytelling, she enjoys turning her observations into engaging pieces that spark curiosity and conversation.