Josh and Sophia Don’t Play Together Anymore
Josh and Sophia have been best friends since they were four. They have lots in common - they both love bugs, drawing and soccer. But by the time they’re ten, everything is much more complicated.
Josh and Sophia Don’t Play Together Anymore is a theatre performance for audiences aged 7-11 years old that empowers young people to engage in an exploration of emotional literacy, healthy relationships, and consent.
Narration by 30-year-old Josh - much older, wiser and hairier - is woven through scenes from childhood against a tapestry of rich, illustrated animation that summons the emotional lives of our two young protagonists: unpacking the defining moments and choices that led to Josh and Sophia not playing together anymore.
“The animation has just been spectacular to watch [...] it’s impactful, multigenerational, it tells important stories and it tells them with artistic excellence.”
“As a student counsellor working with boys, they are so vulnerable. And they don’t know how to express those emotions. And I just wish something like this had been around while I was still working!”
Venue Suitable for proscenium theatre spaces .
Requires clear sightlines for young audiences.
Adaptable for black box, studio and regional community venues.
Technical Venues ideally equipped for touring shows with basic lighting, AV, and audio support.
Access We are committed to ensuring that all children can access our work and are included in our theatre experiences.
Visual stories and sensory friendly adaptions available
Duration 50 minutes
Optional post-show Q&A or facilitated discussion
Capacity Ideal audience size: 150–400
Two performances per day are possible
creative team
Writers: Yasmin Gurreeboo, Kyron Weetra and Monique Hapgood
Dramaturg / Director: Yasmin Gurreeboo
Dramaturgy Consultation: Bonet Leate & Nescha Jelk
Associate / Assistant Director: Joshua Hoare
Animator: Mitch Hearn
Designer: Kathryn Sproul
Composer: Sebastian Collen
Lighting / Technician: Nic Mollison
Producer: Monique Hapgood
DEVELOPMENT COLLABORATORS:
L’hibou Hornung, Brittany Gallash, Will Hodgson, Sam Wannan, Matt Crook, James Smith, Rhiannon Mitchard, Jasper Harrison, Nathan May, Elvy-Lee Quici, Caleena Sansbury, Margot Mansbury, Ashton Malcom, Nasrullah Mehman, Samuel Lau, Ezra Juanta, Max Aylett, Kathryn Adams and Lais Da Rosa.
Josh and Sophia Don’t Play Together Anymore is Supported by CreateSA, the Graham F Smith Peace Foundation through the Arts Peace Award, and Assemblage Centre for the Creative Arts.
The development of Josh and Sophia Don’t Play Together Anymore has also been made possible by generous in-kind contributions, collaboration and expertise from a broad range of industry and community stakeholders including Cirkidz, The Zahra Foundation, the White Ribbon Foundation, Relationships Australia SA, educators, psychologists, gender specialists, allied health practitioners, people with lived experiences of family violence and young people.