PERFECT ARRANGEMENT

BY TOPHER PAYNE

4 February- 7 March 2026

PRESENTED AS PART OF MARDI GRAS+

“If I stay, it’s giving up the belief that things should be better”

It’s 1950s America, and a new colour has been added to the Red Scare: lavender. The Lavender Scare saw LGBTQ+ people interrogated, outed, and dismissed from government service in a sweeping campaign of fear and moral panic.

Enter Bob and Norma, two U.S. State Department employees tasked with identifying and reporting “sexual deviants” within their ranks. There’s just one problem: both Bob and Norma are gay, and are married to each other’s partners as a carefully constructed ruse.

Inspired by the early stirrings of the American gay rights movement, this madcap, classic-sitcom setup gradually gives way to sharp, provocative drama, as two “All-American” couples find themselves staring down the closet door — and the cost of keeping it shut.

Topher Payne explores themes of fear and the weaponisation of identity – themes that feel just as relevant today.

“Usually, a playwright has to choose between writing a laugh-out-loud comedy and a very serious drama. Topher Payne has written both with Perfect Arrangement.” Theatre Mania

CREATIVE TEAM

Director Patrick Kennedy
Associate Set Designer Tom Bannerman
Stage Manager Thomas Fullerton

CAST

Brock Cramond, Huxley Forras, Lucinda Jurd, Dominique Purdue, Brooke Ryan, Jordan Thompson, Luke Visentin

DATES/TIMES

Previews Wed 4 & Thu 5 Feb 7:30pm
Opening Night Fri 6 Feb 7:30pm
Thu – Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2pm
Final performance Sat 7 Mar 2pm

Running time: to be announced

Please note: latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance

tickets

Full $45
Concessions, Groups (6+) $40
New Theatre Members $30
Thrifty Thursdays $30
Preview $25
(booking fees apply)

BOOK TICKETS

New Theatre bar and
box office accepts card only