Warm, funny and inventively staged, this Adelaide production of Looking for Alibrandi brings new life to a beloved coming-of-age story.
Review by Carla & Daniella Caruso
From the moment the audience entered to Italian music and the aroma of simmering passata, it was clear that this Adelaide production of Looking for Alibrandi would be anything but ordinary.
Rich in culture, bold in staging, and true to Melina Marchetta’s novel, the show by SA’s State Theatre Company and Brink Productions brought the beloved ’90s tale to life, with clever twists.
For those not in the know, the story centres on a 17-year-old girl named Josephine “Josie” Alibrandi, who is navigating her final year of high school in Sydney. As the daughter of an Italian single mother, she struggles with her cultural identity, family expectations, and social pressures.
In the play, the ensemble cast proved to be one of the biggest assets, with several actors taking on multiple roles to both comedic and poignant effect. Most impressively, Lucia Mastrantone delivered a standout performance as both Josie’s strict but loving mother and the loud, hilariously over-the-top schoolfriend, Sera Russo – channelling pure ‘Effie’ energy that had the audience in stitches.
The set remained fixed throughout the play, but through deft lighting, sound and staging, each scene took on a distinct atmosphere. Particularly inventive was the use of passata as both a sensory motif – its scent grounding us in Josie’s Italian-Australian household – and a prop device.
When Josie punches her school nemesis, Ivy, who’s also played by the same actress portraying John Barton in a wig, Ivy falls into a hidden bucket of passata, the splatter doubling as a bloody nose. It was funny, unexpected, and perfectly in step with the show’s mix of drama and playfulness.
The ‘90s setting also remained intact, much to the delight of longtime fans. Tina Arena’s Sorrento Moon at the school dance and Josie leafing through an old Dolly magazine were loving nods to a decade that shaped so much of the story’s original reception.
Another major highlight was its ‘Wog ASIO’ gag – a hilarious sequence in which kerchiefed Nonna ‘spies’ in black, performed Mission Impossible-style rolls and dives to catch Josie misbehaving. It was a joyful, exaggerated take on the omnipresent judgement Josie feels from her community elders.
Despite the laughs, the emotional beats still landed. Josie’s confrontation with her nonna about the truth of her past was a standout moment, handled with sincerity and subtlety. The performances of the three central women (Josie, her mother, and Nonna) were layered with authentic banter and chemistry that carried the heart of the story.
Jacob Coote, too, was a strong presence – charismatic and rough-edged, arguably more convincing than his film counterpart. His scenes with Josie had genuine spark and depth.
Casting Chanella Macri, who is of Samoan and Italian heritage, as Josie was a unique choice. The actress, a tall woman with a commanding physical presence, often changed costumes onstage, sometimes down to her underwear. While a few moments felt uncomfortably focused on her physicality, she ultimately brought a depth and complexity to the character that may have been difficult to achieve otherwise.
At times, Macri’s performance edged towards being slightly over-delivered, though it’s possible that audience expectations, shaped by Pia Miranda’s iconic portrayal in the film, cast an unavoidable shadow over her interpretation.
Ultimately, this production succeeded in balancing the emotional weight of Josie’s journey with a rich, comic and theatrical sensibility.
For fans of Looking for Alibrandi, this is a faithful yet fresh adaptation. For newcomers, it’s a vibrant introduction to a timeless story of identity, family, and self-acceptance.
Either way, it’s a satisfying night at the theatre, spiked with passata, laughter, and just the right amount of teen angst.
Recommended for ages 14+. Coarse language, violence, suicide, sexual references, smoke and haze effects.
Duration: Approx. 2 hours and 20 minutes including an interval.
Looking for Alibrandi is on at Adelaide Festival Centre’s Dunstan Playhouse from 22-31 May 2025.
For more information and all enquiries, please visit the State Theatre Company South Australia website.
Photos by Matt Byrne for the State Theatre Company South Australia, and Daniella Caruso for Play & Go.
At Play & Go Adelaide we make every effort to provide accurate information to the best of our knowledge at the time of publication. We recommend confirming times, dates and details directly before making any plans as details may be subject to change.
As per all our Play & Go reviews, this is not a sponsored post and our review is done completely independently.
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