After rave reviews and three awards, SMOKO, the play written on smoko breaks at an outback landfill will premiere at Melbourne Fringe. Mparntwe Alice Springs, based theatre makers, Jazzy Story and Betty Sweetlove are inviting audiences from all walks of life to experience a wild, heartfelt dive into the world of Beccy, a landfill worker navigating high-vis glamour, free-flowing filth, and a gnawing sense of inner emptiness.
Written and performed by Jazzy Story, and directed by Betty Sweetlove & Ruby Conolan Barratt, SMOKO is set in the surreal and hilarious world of a landfill. Beccy descends into the depths of the dump — and into herself — to explore what happens when we begin to feel like the disposable items that have infiltrated our modern lives. Expect big laughs, experimental puppetry, and a thought-provoking look at the psychological weight of consumerism.
Story was equally shocked and thrilled that the project received three awards at the Darwin Fringe Festival in July 2026. She received the Browns Mart Best Theatre Award, the Technicians Choice Award, and the Darwin Festival Pomelo Award. SMOKO has been developed through several programs. Story first developed the concept through the Transmission Program for Regional Playwrights, the Browns Mart Residency Program and later presented a work-in-progress through Theatre Makers, a development program for remote Central Deserts artists. This performance is being supported by funding from Regional Arts Australia.
October 7 – 18
melbournefringe.com.au
