The No Bang Theory

What do you do when you’re a young, gifted musical theatre fan who has been diagnosed as neurodiverse, you are seeking a girlfriend, and searching for suitable role models along the way? Well, if you are Oliver Hetherington-Page, you write a cabaret about your experiences in your 24-year-old life so far and you sing about it, loud and proud. Mixing observational stand-up comedy with re-lyric-ed musical theatre numbers, The No Bang Theory is an entertaining journey through Oliver’s early years, the confusion and frustration leading up to his assessment as neurodiverse, discovering singing and dancing via the Fame Theatre Company, and surviving through his creative outlet in musical theatre. He confesses to travelling to Sydney just to see Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins (his favourite musical of all time), to having seen Wicked about eight times, and he cleverly peppers references to many stage shows – from The Sound of Music, Annie, Les Misérables, and RENT to TV musical Crazy Ex-Girlfriend – to help tell his story, along with a fashionable array of brightly coloured blazers.

Oliver is a passionate advocate for representation of authentic voices and real lived diverse experience on our stages and screens. He has a great stage singing voice and sharp sense of humour – his no-holds-barred comic sense singles out people in his life who, shall we say, have been less helpful in supporting his endeavours. But the show is balanced and Oliver is grateful to his Mum and one teacher in particular who went the extra mile to encourage his schooling and creative pursuits. Oliver re-enacts his high school theatre project which is as genius in its interpretation of Greek theatre tropes as it is gleefully controversial! Likewise, his stage career at Fame has a comically abrupt ending with one hilarious incident during a production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (or ‘Little People’ as Oliver hastens to correct the title). Fittingly, he has no patience for patronising displays of diversity and is less than impressed by the popular TV sitcom character Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory whose ‘cute’ portrayal of autistic attributes courts no favour with this #actuallyautistic performer.

The No Bang Theory has a succinct format, with a polished performance courtesy of director/dramaturg Lewis Jones who has helped to shape the piece. Music director Timothy Forrester and pianist Jake Bristow milk the best show tunes, with some very entertaining choreography by Sarah Stanke. A cabaret would not be a cabaret without superb lighting and sound, in this case designed by Freddy Komp and operated by Dave Seeko. A special mention to the wonderfully wicked Auslan interpreter, Steve Waddell, who kept pace with Oliver and often complemented the comic edge with his wonderful performance. 

I’ve been trying to see Oliver’s solo show since he first premiered at the Access Arts Festival in 2021. I finally got around to it last night – and it couldn’t have been better timing. As Oliver concluded his performance with a fantastic rendition of ‘I am what I am’ (La Cage Aux Folles), Pat Swell, CEO of Access Arts, took to the stage to present Oliver with this year’s Access Arts Achievement Award. Sponsored by Choice, Passion, Life (CPL), the award includes funding of $10,000 to help Oliver create his new cabaret, Santa Clause is Autistic, which will premiere at the Redlands Performing Arts Centre in 2023. As Oliver quipped, in his world, if you make a list and check it twice, you would be quickly diagnosed and ostracised! The new show will feature a neurodiverse choir and sets out to achieve a better understanding of the challenges faced by people with autism. I can’t wait to see it!

Meanwhile, Oliver’s The No Bang Theory is on a double bill with Karen Lee Roberts in her one-woman show, Chameleon.  

Beth Keehn

Find out more: https://piptheatre.org/double-bill/

Photo Credit: Susan Hetherington & Access Arts