Watchlist (play)

Watchlist is a 2021 Australian stage play by Alex Vickery-Howe. It premiered on 4 June 2021 at the Bakehouse Theatre in Adelaide, produced by the South Australian Playwrights Theatre and directed by Lisa Harper Campbell. A dark comedy and political satire set under pervasive state surveillance, the play follows Basil Pepper, Delia Dengel, Roger, Marie and Norman as their domestic lives intersect with political crisis, climate activism and state surveillance. The script was published by Currency Press.

Watchlist
Promotional poster for the 2021 premiere production
Written by	Alex Vickery-Howe
Date premiered	4 June 2021
Place premiered	Bakehouse Theatre, Adelaide, South Australia
Original language	English
Genre	Dark comedy, political satire

Synopsis

Under pervasive state surveillance, Basil Pepper falls in love with animal rights activist Delia Dengel, who draws him into her world and forces him to confront climate collapse, his own complicity, and what ordinary people can do. Basil's best friend Roger and mother Marie attempt to disentangle him from Delia's influence, while government agents circle. As their domestic lives intersect with the broader political crisis, each character is forced to choose between silence, dissent or self-interest.

Production

Delia (Katherine Sortini) and Basil (Gianluca Noble)

The premiere production was produced by Lucy Combe for the South Australian Playwrights Theatre and directed by Lisa Harper Campbell. The production featured lighting design and technical operation by Stephen Dean, sound design by Sascha Budimski, and stage management by Claire Miyuki Gueri.

The original cast comprised:

• Gianluca Noble as Basil
• Katherine Sortini as Delia
• Katie O'Reilly as Marie
• Eddie Morrison as Roger
• Matt Hawkins as Norman

The script was published by Currency Press.

Reception

Watchlist received positive reviews from several Australian theatre critics and publications. Murray Bramwell, writing in InDaily, described the production as "amusing, ambitious, provocative" and wrote that it left audiences facing "unpalatable options".

In The Barefoot Review, Samela Harris described the play as a "brave, bold, agit-prop piece" and referred to Vickery-Howe as an Australian "playwright of substance".

Helen Karakulak of the Adelaide Theatre Guide described the production as "dark and delightful", noting its treatment of climate change, surveillance culture and environmental activism. Steve Davis of The Adelaide Show Podcast described the play as a "darkly stupendous example" of homegrown theatre and highlighted its use of wit, ideological conflict and political urgency.

Mark Wickett, writing for Stage Whispers, described the play as "prophetic" and "an outstanding and challenging piece of theatre", calling it "a call to arms" in response to apathy, resignation and fear of surveillance. In The Advertiser, Peter Burdon wrote that Watchlist "reminds us of the need for maturity in discerning what is fair, and what is reasonable" and affirmed "the need for that right to be respected".