Brisbane review - The Heartbreak Choir: warm, funny and deeply moving

By David Wilson

The Heartbreak Choir

Written by Aidan Fennessy

Directed by Sherryl-Lee Secomb

Produced by PIP Theatre and Deidre Grace

Musical Consultant Jacqui Hall Cuny

Composer (Anthem Song) Bradley McCaw

Set Design by Regan Henry

Costume Design by Bill Haycock

Lighting Design by Noah Milne

Sound Design and Operations by Hannah Page

At PIP Theatre, Milton until 19 September 2026

Tickets from $35

https://piptheatre.org/heartbreak-choir/

The Heartbreak Choir is a warm, funny and deeply moving celebration of friendship, community and the healing power of music. Beautifully written by the late Australian playwright Aidan Fennessy, this engaging production is brought to life by an outstanding seven-person ensemble under the assured direction of Sherryl-Lee Secomb.

Set in a weathered Rural Fire Authority hall on the outskirts of a small regional town, the play follows a group of locals who have splintered from their original community choir following a painful and initially unexplained falling-out. Choirmaster Barbara, outspoken herb farmer Mack, Mack’s quiet teenage daughter Savannah, heavily pregnant Assini and well-meaning local identity Totty have formed a breakaway singing group with a new name, a place to rehearse and their first public performance booked.

With the arrival of local policeman Peter and his teenage son Beau, the reason for the choir’s separation gradually emerges. What begins as a gently humorous story about a mismatched group attempting to sing together develops into something considerably richer and deeper, exploring themes of grief, guilt, loyalty, forgiveness and the courage required to confront painful truths.

The Heartbreak Choir was commissioned through Melbourne Theatre Company’s NEXT STAGE Writers’ Program and received its world premiere in 2022. Fennessy’s writing is intelligent, generous and recognisably Australian. The dialogue moves easily between laugh-out-loud humour and moments of genuine heartbreak, with affection often expressed through teasing, blunt observations and beautifully timed insults. The fully formed characters are all wonderfully distinct and imperfect, yet each is treated with understanding and compassion.

Sherryl-Lee Secomb’s direction balances these contrasting elements extremely well. The comedy is allowed to shine without diminishing the play’s more serious themes, while the emotional revelations unfold naturally and without unnecessary sentimentality. The gradual unravelling of the mystery surrounding the original choir and its absent member keeps the audience thoroughly engaged.

The cast works exceptionally well as an ensemble, reflecting the central idea of individuals with very different voices learning how to listen to one another and create something meaningful together. Each character is given an opportunity to shine, but it is the warmth, humour and chemistry between the performers that creates the magic.

Catarina Hebbard is magnificent as Barbara, the sensible psychologist and reluctant choirmaster who attempts to provide calm and structure for the group while carrying a considerable burden of her own. Hebbard gives a beautifully mature and layered performance, capturing Barbara’s warmth, intelligence and authority while allowing the regret and uncertainty beneath her controlled exterior to remain clearly visible. Her quieter moments are particularly powerful.

Gemma Galley is excellent as Mack, the loud, direct and wonderfully unfiltered herb farmer whose formidable exterior conceals enormous love. Galley brings tremendous energy and strong physicality to the role, delivering Mack’s colourful dialogue with confidence and terrific comedic timing. At the same time, she ensures that the character never becomes a caricature, revealing the vulnerability and fierce protectiveness beneath the bluster.

Michael Enright gives an affecting performance as Mack’s anxious, Goth-leaning teenage daughter Savannah. Enright captures the character’s withdrawn physicality and reluctance to communicate, while also showing that Savannah possesses a strength and individuality that the adults around her do not always recognise. The contrast between her almost whispered speech and the power of her stunning singing voice is beautifully handled, as is her connection with Beau.

Brightholly Nininahazwe brings warmth, dignity and a lovely calm presence to Assini, a heavily pregnant Zimbabwean migrant, former doctor and committed Christian who is still navigating the peculiarities of Australian language and culture. Nininahazwe’s delivery is wonderfully measured, finding humour in Assini’s observations without ever undermining the character. Her rich singing voice is a central and impressive part of the ensemble.

Deidre Grace is an audience favourite as Totty, the wealthy, high-vis-wearing local entrepreneur whose loyalty, generosity and heart are considerably greater than her ability to cook or read a room. Grace’s physical performance and excellent sense of timing make Totty the source of many of the production’s biggest laughs. Beneath the awkwardness and misplaced confidence, however, Grace creates a genuinely endearing character whose commitment to her friends is never in doubt.

Bradley McCaw gives a powerful and moving performance as Peter, the local policeman grieving the death of his wife, Caro, who was a central member of the original choir. McCaw initially brings an appealing nervousness and gentle humour to Peter’s efforts to join the group, before revealing the depth of the character’s grief and distress as the play progresses. His performance in the more confronting second act is magnificent, handled with honesty, vulnerability and considerable emotional control.

Benjamin Cole rounds out the excellent cast as Peter’s teenage son Beau. Cole convincingly captures the awkward reserve of a young man struggling to express his grief or accept the affection of those around him. The scenes with Savannah, Barbara and his father Peter are beautifully judged, offering a gentle sense of hope without attempting to provide simplistic answers to what each has experienced.

Regan Henry’s set immediately establishes the familiar and slightly neglected world of a small Australian community hall. Folding chairs, an upright piano, noticeboard, dodgy heater and framed portrait of Queen Elizabeth II create a space that feels authentic and lived in. The uncluttered design also allows the actors to move naturally around the stage and makes excellent use of PIP Theatre’s wonderfully intimate performance area, drawing the audience into the choir’s rehearsal room.

Noah Milne’s lighting subtly supports the emotional movement of the play, while Hannah Page’s sound design helps establish the atmosphere of the old hall from the outset. Bill Haycock’s well-observed costumes reinforce the individuality of each character and give the impression that these are real members of a regional community who have simply arrived for their weekly rehearsal.

The musical elements are skilfully integrated into the production. With Jacqui Hall Cuny as musical consultant, the songs are part of the story rather than interrupt it, and the increasingly assured harmonies become an effective reflection of the group’s growing belief. Incorporating the excellent Ignite Choir performers into the wonderful Anthem Song finale was simply stunning.

The Heartbreak Choir does deal with difficult subjects, but these themes are handled sensitively and are balanced by plentiful humour, kindness and hope. At its heart, this is not a play about singing - it is about finding the courage to show up, listen, forgive and stand beside people when life becomes difficult.

PIP Theatre has assembled an exceptionally talented cast and creative team for this high-quality production of a very special Australian play. The result is heartfelt, hugely entertaining and ultimately life-affirming — a wonderful reminder that even the most heartbroken voices can create something beautiful when they come together.

The Heartbreak Choir is an affectionate and hopeful tribute to human connection. I thoroughly encourage you to see this outstanding production.