What’s Yours, at Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre - 85 minutes, without interval

Freedom of choice. We have it. But that doesn’t mean it comes without judgement.

I am speaking about the decision to have a child or not.

Is it selfish to want the independence to do as we please without the encumbrance of being stopped in our tracks by nappies and school runs and so forth?

On the other hand, what lengths will one go to to propagate when one can’t do so without outside help and the clock is ticking?

These are just some of the conceits explored in the world premiere of What’s Yours by Melbourne playwright Keziah Warner. 

Photos by Cameron Grant

Simon (Kevin Hofbauer) chats up Jo (Christina O’Neill) at her roommate and best friend Lia’s (Carissa Lee) 21^st birthday party.

Simon, who becomes a writer, and Jo, who ends up in advertising, hook up and spend eight years together.

But now Simon is with Lia and the pair is desperate to have a baby.

The problem is that try as they have repeatedly, Lia can’t conceive.

So, even though Lia and Jo have lost touch, and Simon has nothing to do with Jo anymore, they turn to Jo to help them.

Jo is a free spirit who has never wanted children, but surprisingly she has frozen her eggs.

Lia and Simon prevail upon her to gift the eggs to Lia. In fact, they lean heavily upon her to “do the right thing”.

For Jo that is a huge ask, as she is far from convinced that she wants her offspring flitting about anywhere.

In any event, she is still angry that Lia stole her boyfriend.

These aren’t the only elements at play as Jo, Lia and Simon dance around each other.

They connect, disconnect and reconnect again over a period of years in what becomes an emotional roller coaster.

How will it end? One of the strengths of the play is that it doesn’t signal its punches and there are revelations aplenty.

Keziah Warner developed What’s Yours as part of Red Stitch’s INK writer’s program, which is centred around new Australian works.

The politicisation of women’s choices had her agonising throughout the process before she settled on what we see today.

What’s Yours is compelling, dramatic, poignant and humorous.

It speaks to the human condition, which is fraught and flawed, and certainly not one size fits all.

Vulnerabilities are exposed and temperatures raised, as desperation takes hold.

The trio interact and react to one another.

In short, they are good at pushing one another’s buttons.

The performances are uniformly excellent. The actors exude authenticity in their respective roles.

Christina O’Neill brings obstinacy to her portrayal of Jo. Carissa Lee is feisty as Lia and Kevin Hofbauer nerdish and nice as Simon, forever juggling his affections.

Costuming is casual and set design simple, based largely around a central table, collectively the work of Bianca Pardo.

Strong sound stings by composers Grace Ferguson and Ethan Hunter differentiate scenes and time periods.

My only real concern came at the start … in the set up.

That is when the action took place behind a curtain.

That, coupled with a droning sound reflective of party noise, made it hard to hear clearly what the actors were saying.

Fortunately, the reset, which happened relatively quickly thereafter, did away with that issue.

With solid direction from Isabella Vadiveloo, What’s Yours emerges as an entertaining play and one to remember about friendship, trust and natural instincts.

It is on at Red Stitch Actors' Theatre until 24^th August, 2025.