MR BIG aka Tatay, A Transwoman and That Tiring Tune!, as directed by Beng Oh currently running at Fortyfivedownstairs on Flinders Lane, is a dark comedy centred around family, support and understanding or the lack thereof for young queer and trans people
The play explores queer, Filipino and Australian cultures, touching on family expectations, identity, pride and the immigrant experience.
Set between 1990s Manila and present-day Melbourne, MR BIG aka Tatay shows both the similarities and differences between these worlds through the playwright’s own lived experience. As the story moves between the two settings, it highlights the tensions that can arise between family, culture and identity, making its themes of love, loss and finding acceptance later in life all the more powerful.
The main character Diana (Dax Carnay-Hanrahan) holds a lot of unresolved resentment towards her recently deceased father Joey (Trevor Santos), which seemingly begins to manifest itself through a song the pair used to sing together – the 1991 Mr Big hit “To Be With You”. She’s navigating his death at the same time she’s planning her wedding in Australia as she tries to move forward with her life.
As memories resurface, the play carefully unpacks years of hurt, misunderstanding and unspoken love, revealing how grief can bring buried emotions to the surface.
Back in the 1990s in Manila, the same song is haunting Joey throughout his divorce and the collapse of his family. In present day Melbourne, it haunts Diana through the guilt and obligation she feels towards her family later on in life as the only one who ‘made it out’ of Manila.
The cast did a brilliant job of making such a heavy topic as funny as it was gut-wrenching. The script finds genuine laughs without ever undermining the seriousness of its themes. It was incredibly witty and engaging, but I won’t lie to you if you’re a crier you’re in for a ride.
I was practically bawling through the entire second act. Carnay-Hanrahan is a standout, playing the role of Diana with a great deal of warmth and vulnerability and it would be no surprise that she absolutely steals the show.
Supported during development by Midsumma 2026, the production is a testament to the strength of independent theatre and the importance of telling stories from underrepresented voices.
Presented by the Tayo Tayo Collective, you can catch this stellar performance until the 5 July at Fortyfivedownstairs down Flinders Lane.
