Opening Weekend: You're Not Special Has Officially Arrived

Opening weekend of You’re Not Special by Sam O’Sullivan has come and gone — and we’re still buzzing.

From the moment the lights came up at Black Box Theatre, audiences were laughing, gasping, and leaning all the way in. Whether it was the painfully relatable bedroom phone ban, the twisted love triangle, or the all-too-real spiral into digital disconnection, this play struck a nerve — and in the best way.

With just three actors and a deceptively simple set, the world of You’re Not Special draws you in and doesn’t let go. There’s something electric about watching a relationship unravel in real time, especially when it hits a little too close to home. The tension is tight, the humour is sharp, and the story is uncomfortably familiar in all the right ways.

And that ending? No spoilers — but let’s just say you’ll be thinking about it long after the lights go out.

A few words from one of our founding members, Nick Smith, who attended Opening Night:

"I don't publicly review theatre shows, generally as I am simply not very good at it (one of my history profs at uni called me "functionally illiterate" and I still have no idea what that means, and less of a desire to know!). But I do feel compelled to scribble out a few words about "You're Not Special" by Sam O'Sullivan, produced by Staged Theatre Company, and directed as an ensemble by the three actors - Tyraeli Langley, Caitie Alice and Riley Scott.

Dan meets an attractive stranger which sets off a series of events that threaten to derail his life. His girlfriend, Ellie, who Dan is now living with, is under increasing pressure at work, whilst April, a student teacher and who is not all she seems, has a key to their apartment...

This is a dark, verging on black, comedy and, in my general experience of the genre, the main issues is that productions focus more on one part, at the expense of the other - the comedy above the darkness or vice versa. But they only work when the two sides to the coin are in harmony.

And in harmony they are - biting at times, laugh out loud funny, a smattering of instant improv when needed (opening nights always need some level of that), and a trio of actors that brought their game.

Riley Scott is always a joy to watch - his wit, intelligence and humour shone through (One Man, Two Guvnors at Coolum Theatre Players had previously shown that), but here he brought a level of pathos that took his performance up yet another notch.

Caitie Alice, it has been said many times before, is a consummate actor, making it look so easy. But the role of April is not easy, not even close. Switching on a dime, character changes, spinning you around from what you thought you knew to suddenly seeing things very differently. And then she switches to attack!

Finally a word about acting first timer, Tyraeli Langley. Tyraeli has the proverbial b*lls of steel for taking on this role. First time out, she's in a black comedy (notoriously hard to do well), opposite actors of the quality of Caitie and Riley, in a pacey, hard, emotional piece.

And she thoroughly nailed it - not only nailed it, but hit it our of the park. So far out of the park, in fact, that ball is still rising. Superb stuff, Tyraeli.

In brief, there were, of course, opening night nerves, as expected, but this showcased that hard-to-find triumvirate - great writing, solid direction, and gold star acting."

Three More Chances to Catch It

If you missed opening weekend — don’t panic. We’re back for three final shows this Friday, Saturday & Sunday (July 18–20), and we highly recommend booking ahead.

📍 Black Box Theatre, Nambour🎭 July 18–20🎟️ tickets are available here!

Come see why audiences are buzzing about this show! You'll laugh, squirm, and maybe check your screen time stats on the way home.