“Melbourne. 1907. Horseless carriage around the corner. Modern man don’t like this automobile… Pray to God to KILL ALL MOTOR-CARS.” This lament of a Brunswick Hansom cab driver forms the unsettling, humorous, and surprisingly prescient foundation of HORSEPLAY, a new one-man show at the that grapples with technological redundancy, grief, and the anxieties of a rapidly changing world.
Written and performed by Naarm-based actor Jono Lawrence and directed by Caitlin Mathieson, HORSEPLAY transports audiences between two worlds. The early 1900s set explores a cab driver’s existential dread as the motor car threatens his livelihood, his horse, and his sense of purpose.
In parallel, Lawrence shares present-day autobiographical reflections: the aftermath of his own car accidents and his unease around the accelerating rise of generative AI large language models. The performance blends historical parable, experimental theatre, karaoke, video games, and candid autobiography, crafting a genre-defying exploration of humanity’s uneasy relationship with technology.
Lawrence is a graduate of Federation University’s Arts Academy Bachelor of Acting for Stage and Screen, with writing credits in Going Down Swinging and Etchings, and a past recipient of the Judith Rodriguez Prize. Mathieson, a 16th Street Actors Studio alum, previously appeared in Night Terrors at the Melbourne Fringe Festival in 2018, bringing a deft directorial hand to this inventive production.
HORSEPLAY runs from Tuesday 7th to Saturday 11th October at Bluestone Church Arts Space, Footscray. Shows start at 7:00pm and run for 60 minutes. Tickets are $28.50 for adults, $24.50 for concession, with Blak Tix, Hump Day discounts, and flash sales available.
Tickets and info: melbournefringe.com.au
