In Conversation with Tamara Creasey – OUT OF ORDER
In this segment of In Conversation, we shine a light on OUT OF ORDER—a new play by Tamara Creasey, premiering at The Blue Room Theatre from 29 April to 17 May 2025. OUT OF ORDER is a fast-paced comedy about a motley bunch of office workers becoming more desperate and less civil in the pursuit of their Monday morning coffee fix. A welcoming, silly, healing exhale from the stress we have been inherently holding onto for five years. We caught up with Tamara to dive into the creative process behind the work and what audiences can expect from this thrilling new production.
What motivated you to apply to be part of The Blue Room Theatre’s 2025 season, and what drew you to this project?
I have worked in and out of The Bluey since 2017, but never on a script that I had solely written. I wanted to see if OUT OF ORDER, a farcical comedy, could sustain a multi-week season and had my heart set on having my playwriting debut as part of The Bluey’s annual season (The Blue Room is the beloved home of Boorloo independent theatre, after all). As I was writing this work, I was picturing it at The Blue Room, incorporating the doors into the blocking and working in a black box theatre space. I am so thrilled and grateful that it worked out.
In terms of what drew me to this project, I had been sitting on this show idea for a while before I started writing anything down. I was excited by the idea of writing a farcical comedy, especially given the stress and overwhelm that many people have been feeling over the last five years. I remember sitting down and doing some research on farces, reading an interview with John Cleese (Fawlty Towers, Monty Python). I felt excited and inspired by the joy he described in writing and performing farce. Then I read the part where he said farces are notoriously difficult to write and even harder to pull off. And for some reason, I ran with it.
How has the creative journey been so far—from concept development to rehearsals?
It has been a tonne of fun, and I’ve learnt a lot. I wanted the challenge of writing something by myself (of which I have been supported by amazing people along the way, so it wasn’t reeeally by myself). I wrote the script on and off over a four-year period and actually found that I did most of the writing whilst I was away from home, on tour. It really helped not to have the distractions of home life, i.e., cleaning and life admin.
Finishing that first draft felt like a massive accomplishment, especially because I have a tendency to keep editing what I’ve written, rather than proceeding forward. But we got there. I held a script development, and by then, I was so ready to have people in the room with it. I wanted to hear how it sounded in voices other than my own. I noted down the feedback from that development and incorporated it as I moved quicker through various drafts until the one we have now.
Rehearsals have been a hoot. We’re constantly finding new jokes and ways to make each other laugh. The team is a dream, and I’m excited for people to see how wonderful and funny they are.
What has stood out to you during the rehearsal process—any unexpected discoveries or moments of growth?
This sounds simple and obvious, but what a joy it is to be in a room making a show with other creatives. I enjoyed the challenge of sitting down and writing on my own, but my favourite part will always be getting into a room with other artists and having a muck around with a script.
I think if we’d had time for another development, that would have been great, but there will always be more things to work on – the show has to go up sometime!
How has the collaboration with your cast, crew, and creatives shaped the work and your vision for it?
I knew from the beginning that I didn’t want to be too precious about this script. The cast, director and the greater team are so good at what they do; I wanted them to feel like they could make offers about the script, improvise, and really play around with moments in the work. I’m writing this as we kick off tech week, and it feels like everything is really coming together.
I’m just so grateful for all the effort, time, generosity and support that everyone has put into this production. As a show with a pretty low budget, everyone has gone above and beyond; from sourcing props through work, calling on family and friends to construct set pieces, learning new design and crafting skills, navigating the high physical element of this show (including learning fight choreography), just to name a few. I have been met with encouragement at every turn. The whole team have truly bolstered the show in so many ways.
What does having your show programmed in The Blue Room Season mean to you as a lead creative?
Not that this is everything, but it feels really nice to know that someone, or a collective of people, outside of your team believes in your work. I am incredibly proud of the show we have made. If it wasn’t for the village of people supporting this production – from cast, crew, family, friends, work colleagues, bosses (thank you for approving our annual leave!), other collaborators from the theatre community and especially, The Blue Room Theatre – who knows how long it would have taken to get OUT OF ORDER up and in front of audiences. I feel very fortunate and very grateful, particularly knowing how competitive the application process is, and how competitive many opportunities in the arts are.
The Blue Room Theatre also offers something that the greater Perth theatre industry struggles to provide: a platform for emerging and mid-career artists to continue making work and gaining skills in the field. So, a big, heartfelt thank you to The Bluey and its team. Thanks for believing in this chaotic show.
As you move closer to opening, what are you most excited—or even nervous—about sharing with audiences?
I’m really excited to welcome new people every night to see the show. This show is a comedy, and while we continue to make each other laugh in the rehearsal room, it will be interesting to hear which moments or lines of dialogue the audience laughs at, or which moments they connect with. I’m curious to hear what resonates with them.
Naturally, I am nervous about whether people will enjoy it, but I’m also aware that this is something that is out of my control. I sometimes think about what version of the show it would be if it went up a year later or five years later. But I’m also excited about the version that is going up now, and I never want to get stuck in a loop where I convince myself that I always need more time, then I would never finish anything. I once heard this quote: “Writers finish.” So here it is. This version of it anyway.
What is your show bringing to the Perth arts scene, and what do you think would help strengthen the local arts ecosystem?
I don’t know if I’m the best person to answer this question, but more spaces for artists, more funding for artists, more development opportunities for artists, more access to mentorships, and more variety in the works that are being programmed. I’ll leave it at that for now.
And what does OUT OF ORDER bring? It’s a comedy! I enjoy a gripping drama as much as the next person, but I also think comedic works are undervalued in the Perth theatre scene. The past few years have been really challenging for so many people. I believe this show will provide a space for some of those folks to laugh out their stresses; laughter is so healing!
Image by Daniel Buckle