Two young female athletes forge an unlikely friendship across class and cultural divides as they train for elite 800m track competitions, balancing on a knife edge between success and Failure.

Ann and Sophie trod very different paths into professional athletics, but their bond grows just as both their determination and vulnerability rise at pace. On the track, they are laser focused. Off it, they fizz about boys, sex, and their lofty Olympic dreams. As they navigate the uncertain world of women’s sport, it’s with a potent mix of personal rivalry, sexual awakening, and brutal training regimes.

At the height of their power, a catastrophic event puts their professional paths at risk. When lines are drawn and narratives are exposed, can their hard-earned friendship make it across the finishing line?

This Australian premiere is a fast and furious portrait of teenage athletes, their bodies, and the bewildering limits and expectations placed upon them. Intelligent and witty, Road’s play asks if those racing with the odds stacked against them can ever truly win.

Producing Company: Lost Thought

Playwright: Ella Road

Director & Producer: Emma Whitehead

Associate Director: Malek Domköc

Associate Producer: Osibi Akerejola

Choreographer: Cassidy McDermott Smith

Production Designer: Kate Beere

Video Designer: Aron Murray

Lighting Designer: EJ Zielinski

Sound Designers: Mitchell Brown & Osibi Akerejola

Stage Manager: Matilda Holton

Artistic Associate: Chemon Theys

Original Hero Photography: Becky Matthews

Season Photography: Robert Miniter

Publicist: Kate Gaul

Community Consultant: Margie McCumstie

Cast (of 2): Rachel Crossan, Elodie Westhoff

This listing is updated as cast/creatives are confirmed in the lead-up to the production, and if there are changes to the team.

Season: 6/03 - 21/03 (previews 6/03 & 7/03, opening night [invitation only] 8/03)

Times: Tues-Fri 7pm, Sat 2pm & 7pm, Sun 5pm

Ticket Prices:

• Previews: $29.70 + booking fee

• Cheap Tuesday: $38.50 + booking fee

• Adult: $49.50-82.50 + booking fee

• Concession: $38.50-60.50 + booking fee

Note: ticketing for Mainstage productions at the Old Fitz Theatre operate on a Dynamic Pricing model. This system means prices increase in line with audience demand (determined by capacity targets), and ensures we are able to provide cheaper tickets for a period whilst also making sure artists - who are often contracted on a profit share basis - get paid. In the interest of full transparency, the structure of the model can be viewed in full on our Welcome page. Concession tickets will never exceed $60.50, and previews and Cheap Tuesday’s will be capped at $38.50 and will not scale.

Approximate Run Time: 100 minutes

Content Warnings: Loud noises and flashing lights, and the play examines themes of gender, race, and competition in women’s athletics, including sensitive subject matter relating to the experiences of female athletes and the pressures of elite sport, in addition to touching on topics including eating disorders, systemic racism, depression, and sex