Above: Brent Thorpe performs at the Loading Dock Theatre for the 2025 Pride Fest.
We enter Qtopia’s Loading Dock Theatre space for this show to a dancefloor vibe with Daddy’s Boys Travis De Jonk and Jack Mitsch totally owning that floor with bare energy in harness and jockstrap boldness.
This was an energy and charming, brave boldness that continued right throughout the show. Brent Thorpe as Daddy here has created an accessible, diverse and instantly attractive theatre piece and commentary on the evolution of queer culture and strength of character.
This piece of theatre is political, perky, pertinent and perfect Pride Fest fare. It was my first Pride Fest event and as such was evidence of the 2025 Sydney festival’s excellent curation of 150+ events by Carly Fisher.
Brent Thorpe’s warm, no-holds-barred delivery, well-read, researched and lived experience both in Sydney and globally was captivating and consistently watchable.
Portraits of past performers, friends and challenges to the gay community plus suggestion on how to navigate the now are both well-needed and elegantly rammed our way in this show.
Any theatre piece that presents a brutal caricature of Reverend Fred Nile as well and the likes of Pauline Hansen or Peter Dutton is a winner in my eyes.
And a late night theatre piece full of contrasts and possessing fabulous momentum is a must see this Pride month.
This is a show that gives so much, especially a clear reminder of the losses endured by a young tribe during the AIDS years as well as getting the audience up and dancing is a transportative work that succeeds in the successful Qtopia space.
This fine work by former drag queen turned wise, new-milennial Daddy is fun, promotes freedom and a fierce pride in fun, individual strength that touches and aims to save us all.
See it.
Daddy, Don’t Drop The Soap! Plays at Qtopia’s Loading Ddock Theatre until June 6.
