A Heartfelt Celebration of Life and Queer Resilience
Fruit Box Theatre’s Australian premiere of Cruise, directed by Sean Landis, is a breathtaking, intergenerational monologue that transcends time, place, and even mortality itself. Originally nominated for the Olivier Award for Best New Play in 2022, this production is a vibrant and deeply moving tribute to queer nightlife, a generation lost to the AIDS crisis, and the power of survival.
From the moment the stage lights up, the visual landscape is striking: primary colours anchor each corner, with a red velvet couch bathed in crimson light, a yellow table and chair, a blue-lit raised platform with a suspended chain ladder, and a tall bar glowing green. This thoughtful design by Chelsea May Wheatley instantly immerses us in the rich, electrifying world of 1980s Soho, London.
At the heart of this production is Fraser Morrison, a true shape-shifter. His performance is a masterclass in transformation, shifting between over 20 characters with remarkable fluidity—sometimes even mid-sentence. Each persona is fully realised, from their distinct physicality to the razor-sharp precision of their dialects, under the expert guidance of Accent and Dialect Coach Linda Nicholls-Gidley. Morrison’s energy never wavers, his timing never falters; he is, quite simply, magnetic.
The play takes us into the life of Michael Spencer, a man diagnosed with HIV in 1984 and given four years to live. Rather than succumb to despair, Michael chooses to throw the biggest party of his life—a final, defiant celebration. Yet, against all odds, he survives. The question that lingers: what now? What does one do with the gift of unexpected time?
Movement Director Jeremy Lloyd ensures that every gesture and shift in Morrison’s performance is precise, further heightening the emotional impact. The lighting design by Tom Hicks and soundscapes crafted by Wheatley enhance each moment, shifting us between the pulse of club nights and the introspective quiet of Michael’s journey.
What makes Cruise so powerful is how it resonates beyond history. Sitting in the audience, it struck me that the 1980s weren’t so long ago—just as the pandemic of 2020 isn’t a distant memory. London’s Soho has changed, and we are grateful for modern medicine, yet the weight of the HIV/AIDS epidemic still lingers. How would it have affected me? My friends?
And yet, Cruise is not a play about grief. It is a celebration—of life, of resilience, of the communities that hold us together. Fruit Box Theatre, with their commitment to community consultation (thanks to Jonny Seymour, Wilfred Roach, and Helen Fraser), ensures that this story isn’t just performed but honoured.
With the expertise of Stage Manager Caity Cowan and Assistant Stage Manager Alice Chao keeping everything seamless, and Assistant Production Designer Lucy Doherty adding subtle yet effective details, this production is a triumph. Special mention to cinematographer Anna McGirr and photographer Abraham de Souza for capturing its essence for wider audiences.
Cruise is not just theatre; it’s an experience—one that reminds us of the light that can be found even in the darkest of times. Don’t just see it. Feel it. Celebrate it.
Cruise plays until February 22nd.