A Comprehensive & Profoundly Queer Accounting of the Brief (Yet GLORIOUS!) History of The Gay & Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands

Winner of the 2024 Queer Playwriting Award 

In 2004, a group of radicals boarded a fishing trawler they’d christened The Gayflower, flew 200 nautical miles off the coast of Queensland, and landed on a tiny patch of sand and birdshit in the middle of the sea.

Their mission? To plant a rainbow flag in the sand and officially declare the creation of The Gay & Lesbian Kingdom of the Coral Sea Islands: a magical nation independent of homophobic Australia, where there would be equality for all, the currency was the pink dollar, and the national anthem was I Am What I Am.

One can’t help but ask… what the f**k were they thinking?

Directed by the acclaimed LYALL BROOKS (Become The One), this full production of the new play from Helpmann Award-winning comic TOM BALLARD (Deadloch, Fisk) will make you laugh, cry, think, dance, and join the fight for a better world.

Starring an all-star queer cast: ANDY BALLOCH (The Wedding), ELLIOT WOOD (Storked), SEON WILLIAMS (White Fever) and TEO VERGARA (Converted!).

Don’t miss your chance to see this bizarre and inspiring slice of Australian queer history come to life on stage in what is set to be a massive Midsumma highlight.

Praise for Ballard’s play #Kwanda: “a rather brilliant political satire…will have you laughing till it hurts ★★★★½ ” – Cameron Woodhead, The Age

Companion Card Holder tickets are available. To book, please contact the Gasworks Front Desk on (03) 8606 4200 during office hours: Monday to Friday, 10:00 am – 4:30 pm.