Type – Indie Theatre, Play, “Australian Dream”
If you liked – The Removalists; Glengarry Glen Ross; The Caretaker
The Roaches & The Boot: How far would you go, if you’ve got nothing to lose?
The raw, unwashed energy of indie theatre is marvellously on display in John Tsakiris’ new play The Roaches & The Boot, his fourth original work having previously captured attention with the absurdist production The Partygoers. We are witnessing the emergence of a very talented playwright and actor. Set in an industrial, unforgivingly-lit Sydney construction site, this production is abrasive, deeply funny, and a heartbreaking deconstruction of the so-called “Australian Dream”.
The play centres on four site workers who are all pulling the graveyard shift and none too happy to be doing so. The routine banter and bickering of a night on the tools quickly descends into a visceral struggle for dominance and survival. Tsakiris uses the construction site as a sharp irony; while the characters are ostensibly building something new, their own lives are in various states of collapse. A sudden plot pivot ignites a highly dramatic scenario, in which betrayal, desperation, and violence shifts the play from a dark comedy into a haunting survival of the fittest clash.
Tsakiris’ writing is quite outstanding. In the first act he captures a specific vernacular that is both rough and poetic. Although they speak in monosyllables, the tone, style and pauses are precisely calibrated to signify much more than the mere words. This shows the real talent and potential Tsakiris has to become a great writer.
The play is also very well structured, with the slow burn of the first act rapidly then tumbling into dramatic chaos. The second act is much more explosive and almost melodramatic, and not quite as skilfully crafted as the first, but it remains nevertheless an impressive piece of writing for such a relatively young writer. And look out – there is a strong language warning, although it would be impossible to think of these characters without the casual swearing that is simply a fundamental part of how they communicate.
The play’s themes are universal, and it rises beyond a simple fight between blokes. Particularly in this time where economic inequity is fuelling deep divisions in our western society, the play explores ideas of economic, intellectual and spiritual survival. Who is doing the crushing, and who is scrambling to avoid it?
The Roaches & The Boot is also technically very impressive. Mia MacCormick’s set is ultra-real, and Holly Nesbitt lights it with unflinching clarity. Tsakiris and co-director Megan Heferen make good use of the wide performance area, and when the action picks up, the sense of physical violence is palpable. Tsakiris’ three fellow actors all do credit to his script, with word-perfect delivery and excellent timing. This is important because the dialogue is so deceptively simple.
Holly Mazzola inhabits the bullying Bazza with great skill, and menacing nuance. Owen Hasluck is heart-breakingly good as Squirt, the butt of everyone’s jokes, and Elyse Phelan as Chaz shows solid talent and potential. The multi-talented Tsakiris shows he’s also a serious actor, with an excellent bend toward comic timing.
Is The Roaches & The Boot Worth Seeing in Sydney?
The Roaches & The Boot is a bold addition to the 2026 theatre season in Sydney, and clearly demonstrates the wealth of theatrical talent being nurtured and developed. You can brag that you saw one of John Tsakiris’ very early productions, when he’s accepting his acting and directing awards in a few years.
Tickets and Practical Info for The Roaches & The Boot in Sydney 🎟️
Written by John Tsakiris
Directed by Megan Heferen & John Tsakiris
Studio 5 Productions, Flightpath Theatre, Marrickville
Until 2 May 2026
Tickets: https://www.flightpaththeatre.org/whats-on/the-roaches-and-the-boot
CREATIVES
Writer: John Tsakiris
Director: Megan Heferen & John Tsakiris
Producer: Megan Heferen & Claudia Elbourne
Assistant Producer: John Tsakiris
Lighting Designer: Holly Nesbitt
Production Designer: Mia MacCormick
Stage Manager: Alex Liang
Photographer: Karla Elbourne
CAST
Chaz: Elyse Phelan
Jezza: John Tsakiris
Bazza: Holly Mazzola
Squirt: Owen Hasluck
