Puberty Blues

Based on the novel by Kathy Lette and Gabrielle Carey, and adapted for the stage by Zoe Muller in 2017, Deadset Theatre’s production of the iconic Puberty Blues is an example, particularly for older performers, writers and theatre companies, of the powerful energy and authenticity that young people can bring to quality theatre. I was both impressed and astounded to discover that actor, director and company founder Muller, then aged 15, was granted permission by authors Kathy Lette and Gabrielle Carey to write the stage adaption for this now three times performed production of Puberty Blues. No slouch as a playwright of beautifully crafted Australian stories, Muller subsequently turned her hand to writing Rattling the Keys, winning the 2018 State Theatre Company of South Australia and Flinders University Junior Young Playwrights’ Awards, and all of this before the age of 20! This script is cleverly written, credible, entertaining and well-paced and as Puberty Blues has long been a popular text in secondary schools, it is perfectly pitched to share the messages of misogyny, fitting in and the battles that young people encounter to be accepted as they strive to become adults.

Described as an Australian classic, Puberty Blues is a semi-autobiographical novel that was written by two teenage girls in 1979. It was also made into a film in 1981 and a TV series in 2012. It is a story following the lives of two teenage girls, Debbie and Sue, in the 70’s surfing scene. Their lives revolve around male surfers, and when Debbie and Sue finally break into the ‘cool group’ and get accepted into the Cronulla based Surfer gang, their lives get turned upside down as they are forced to grow up, and face awful consequences much sooner than they should.

Founded in 2017 by Zoe Muller, Jean Collins and Matilda Butler, Deadset Theatre Company (DTC) is a community theatre company that produces plays for young people aged 15-26. Focussing on young people, they are also able to give more opportunities for Adelaide’s young aspiring actors to perform on stage and to showcase their talent, and Puberty Blues is a perfect vehicle for this. My theatre companion and I however, wrestled with elements of the relevance and relatability of this particular story for today’s young people where women are better informed and empowered, and the role of men has by and large become more than that of being hedonistic, sex-driven, dominant and responsibility free predators.

There are elements of the story that are terrifyingly real and Debbie and Sue discussing using a coat hanger to perform a home abortion is a tragic, oft done reminder of the era. Fortunately, the horror of this is lightened with references to the 1970’s dietary treat, the artery clogging Chiko roll and the post-surfing treats (provided by the girls of course) of doughnuts and chocolate milk. Those of us ‘of a certain age’ winced when the girls were called ‘skanks’ and ‘molls’, ‘rooting’ was entitlement to ‘on tap’ sex gained by the bestowing of a ‘friendship ring’ and girls who did not want to ‘come across’ pleaded exemption as they were ‘on the rag’. Having said that, the auditorium was packed with a largely younger, very appreciative aud

ience who may well have boned up on the terminology of the time and have seen the elements of the story that are still relevant reminders in 2022.

The cast of 13 players and creatives are all young and include Sachin Barclay, Ella Buckingham, Matilda Butler, Mia Ellis, Kodi Jackson, Isiah Macaspac, Zoe Muller, Jai Pearce, Ben Proeve, Billie-Rose Russel, Jack Spanton, Tim Stoeckel, Lucas Tennant, Veronika Wlodarczyk.

The set is simple, evocative and effective with three focussed playing areas giving us a beach, a teenage girl’s room (replete with lava lamp, Bowie and Abba posters) and school-yard wooden benches. Clever direction has the cast using multiple entrances and exits, including through the auditorium, ensuring that the episodic nature of the story always flows and is uninterrupted. Lighting design and Operation by Jayden Cowell and Oliver Dawson is crisp, well focussed (pun intended) and enhances the brisk pace of the story-telling. Music and Sound by Oscar Sarre and Lucas Tennant using 70’s icon Minnie Riperton and songs including the wonderful group sing-along of ‘Fox On the Run’ sung by the whole group add authenticity, if a little loud over the opening duologue.