Friends go 12,000 miles to find adventure and find themselves
Ladies Down Under. Second Thoughts Productions at The Bear Pit Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, from 21 October 2026–24 October 2026.
Preview by Charles Essex
Amanda Whittington’s trilogy of plays about four women who work in a fish processing factory in Hull has proved to be enduringly popular. Ladies Down Under is the second of the series, as the four friends splash their winnings from the races, seen in Ladies Day, on the trip of a lifetime to Australia.
Each has their own dreams, goals and fears and this becomes a trip of discovery of themselves, in this heartwarming play which has humour, drama and pathos. Pearl, Jan, Linda and Shelley’s adventures along the way include luxuriating on the Gold Coast where they meet a couple of ageing hippies, and camping at Uluru/Ayres Rock where secrets are divulged and relationships broken and mended.
Their last stop is Sydney’s Mardi Gras Festival where they meet a couple of Drag Queens, Koala Bare & Bondi Bitch. Joe on an adventure of his own and Danny, a traveller with no plans, catch up with the four friends and we see how the relationships develop…or not. Each of the women and the people they meet have a story to tell and obstacles to overcome. The focus is on finding answers and ultimately their true selves, even if meant having to travel 12,000 miles to do so.
Tickets from: Bookings | Second Thoughts
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