Everyman Theatre | Review by Sophia Matz
Sensitive Performances Elevate Outlaw Adventure, Rich in Social Relevance
26 May 2025
If We Got Some More Cocaine I Could Show You How I Love You is a powerful play that offers a light-hearted opening of outlaw adventure, before transitioning into a poignant and relevant social commentary.
Set in the nighttime darkness of a small town in Ireland on Halloween, two boys find themselves atop the roof of one of their houses in an attempt to hide from the police after robbing a petrol station. After a somewhat unsuccessful haul, the titular cocaine is revealed alongside a sum of cash, some cigarettes and a bottle of whiskey. Mikey (Robert Kjellgren) is keen to get to a party (and therefore off the roof), while Casey (Joshua James) nervously waits in search of the perfect moment to escape. As the night unfolds before us, we come to understand the complexities of their lives and how they intertwine.
An impressively built set by Isaac Rilley provides the frame for what is a very realistic performance from both actors. The attention to detail by director Joel Horwood in theme and aesthetic created beautiful continuity and allowed for the performance to shine, fully immersing us in the world of Casey and Mikey.
Tension is built through moments of extremely long, charged silence. This comfortability on stage and with the audience to hold this silence was extremely engaging, and beautifully contrasted other moments of passionate outbursts or high action. The emotion of the play rises to a very effective crescendo into the final scenes, where both characters’ vulnerability and ultimately, love for each other is exposed. The synthesis between Kjellgren and James’ portrayal of the characters created a layered performance, in which both actors brought a much-needed sensitivity in different but harmonious ways. The representation of a queer relationship that exists outside of the stereotype allowed for more nuanced character development.
Culminating in a bittersweet ending with the tentative impression of hope, If We Got Some More Cocaine… is rich with socially relevant themes that explore how love, identity, abuse, poverty and social influence all impact each other and our relationships with others.
Sophia Matz is a student in year 11 who is very passionate about theatre and performing arts. Sophia has performed in productions such as the Crucible (Canberra Grammar School, 2024l), Much ado about nothing (Canberra Grammar School, 2025), Chicago (Canberra Grammar School, 2023), Grease (Canberra Grammar School, 2021) and more. Sophia has joined young critics with the intention of getting as much exposure to theatre as possible and supporting the Canberra theatre scene.
