Drive-thru life at minimum wage again with Canberra Youth Theatre’s newest play, Work, But This Time Like You Mean It!

Posted on 28 August, 2024

Do you remember what your first job was like and the character-building moments that came with it?

You might be saying to yourself, “It’s hard to forget”.

Canberra Youth Theatre is transporting us back to this formative time of our lives with a punchy, comedic, yet darkly surreal new production – Work, But This Time Like You Mean It. Written by Melbourne playwright Honor Webster-Mannison, the script won the opportunity to be developed through Canberra Youth Theatre’s Emerging Playwright Commission competition back in 2022.

Luke Rogers, Artistic Director of the Canberra Youth Theatre, is leading the production and has worked closely with Honor and the stellar young performers to bring you a though-provoking work which encapsulates the thoughts, feelings, and experiences we’ve all had when stepping into the workforce for the first time.

Described by Honor as “an unhinged, deep-fryer-dive into deeply human relationships, forged within the most alienating of circumstances,” Work, But… showcases overworked yet underpaid teenagers employed at a fast food drive-thru, and addresses the pressures of maintaining a good work-ethic despite earning less than minimum wage. The show also sheds light on the unbelievable perseverance necessary to get through a shift when all you want to do is curl up under the counter and cry.

Honor Webster-Mannison

Luke further explains: “It’s a play for and about young people at a particular stage of their lives, but it also raises questions that delve into the broader nature of our society: how does it feel to be given such brief and fragile moments to express oneself within a life so dominated by work?”

“These big questions are coated in the gooey batter and eleven herbs and spices of Honor Webster-Mannison’s wild, surreal, and deliriously fun play. After two years of joyous work, we can’t wait to serve it up with a smile.”

With a story that all ages will enjoy, combined with a breath-taking set bathed in neon lights and using a massive ball pit to fire the imagination, Canberra Youth Theatre’s performance certainly won’t make you feel like a parent sitting through a school play. Instead, prepare to witness the very best of Canberran Theatre and the humorous yet dark reality of being a young person living in a complex world.

Have we piqued your interest? If so, don’t miss this captivating and high-quality production, showing in the Courtyard Studio of the Canberra Theatre Centre. Work, But… will be running daily from 20 – 29 September, with tickets available now for just $20-$35.