After a sold out season at the Melbourne Fringe Festival, Best Comedy Winner, BIRDS, returns for a two-week run at the Malthouse for Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Shayna (Hines), a wealthy five-time divorcee, and Beverley (Stafford), a mother of twelve boys, escape to the beach to outrun their lives. As Smyle and Smacki-O blares from the radio, the pair settle into their deckchairs and chain-smoke their way through idle chit chat. Big wigs, itty-bitty bikinis, and sunburnt bodies – this is paradise. As the days stretch into years, birds fall from the sky, their skin melts and yet they remain stubbornly put with their heads in the sand. It’s ‘Waiting for Godot’ if Beckett had ADHD and couldn’t wait that long. BIRDS is the escape audiences are craving.
Read on as Alex Hines and Sarah Stafford talk their show, comedy and what comes next
How would you describe your show to someone who knows very little about it?
BIRDS is an absurdist masterpiece about two women, on the beach at the end of the world. The temperature soars, birds fall from the sky and their skin melts. But they’re heads are in the sand. It’s been described as Waiting for Godot meets Kath & Kim, Australian Ab Fab in the Apocalypse. But let’s just say…it’s the must see show of the festival.
What makes it stand out and why should people see it?
BIRDS is a theatre show; there aren’t many of those in the festival. Genre aside, BIRDS is silly, funny and unlike anything else. If that doesn’t wet your whistle, BIRDS won Best Comedy in Melbourne Fringe 2025 after a sold out run as well multiple 5-star reviews – you simply must come and check out what all the hype is about. God forbid you treat yourself to a little escapism.
How long was the process from idea to writing to stage? Any challenges along the way?
Sarah has been sitting on the concept of two women on the beach at the end of the world for a long time. Last year we were given funding to be able to realise the project. Because we live interstate, we were essentially creating theatre over zoom, wouldn’t wish that on our worst enemies. Luckily, we’ve collaborated on a bunch of shows, so we were able to pull together a show that people really responded to.
What attracts you to comedy?
Alex is a middle child from a broken home who grew up with cystic acne and trauma, Sarah is funny…what choice did we have?
How would you describe your relationship with the audience and what do you love the most about live performance?
We have been loving our audiences; they are all really getting into our weird and wonderful world. The best thing about live performance is every night is different which is great.
Who would you say have been your biggest inspirations?
For this work, we are theatre girlies, so a big inspiration is Samuel Beckett. The fact that we are performing it in the Beckett Theatre is poetry in motion.
What are three things that would surprise people to learn about you?
- Sarah is a semi professional athlete in her mind (Alex wrote that)
- Alex is low-key a psychopath (Sarah wrote that)
- Alex and Sarah actually love each other very much despite the passive aggressive quibbles they keep having out the front of the Malthouse covered in latex.
What do you love to most about performing at MICF?
The community of artists that come together from around the world. This year BIRDS performed in the UPFRONT Gala. It’s awesome that MICF program a gala spot for an absurdist theatre show. Platforming acts that don’t have the mainstream appeal that traditional stand up receives is a risk on their end but paid off and we were really grateful for that. We love being a part of the Malthouse program, it’s a whole hub of weird and wonderful performers, plus there’s a shower – and by the end of this show we NEED THAT SHOWER.
What comes after the MICF for you?
BIRDS is off to Brisbane Comedy Festival in May; we’ve almost sold out that run and then we are off to Edinburgh Fringe.
Through queer theatricality, sweat-soaked delirium and heightened characters, BIRDS is an absurd play exploring paralysis as a way of coping with impending doom. Beneath the bright colours and quick-witted comedy is a commentary on inaction in the face of the climate crisis and the overwhelming helplessness we feel.
Playing till April 19
visit www.malthousetheatre.com.au
