Tomatoes cascade from wooden crates, three generations of Italian-Australian women gather to make sauce, and family bonds reveal their unbreakable strength. This striking image bookends State Theatre Company’s production of Looking for Alibrandi, transforming Melina Marchetta’s beloved coming-of-age story into theatrical gold that simmers with authentic emotion.
Seventeen-year-old Josie Alibrandi navigates her final year of high school while juggling romantic possibilities – should she choose her intellectual best friend John Barton or the appealingly rebellious Jacob Coote? Her carefully ordered world shifts when her estranged father, Michael Andretti, suddenly returns after years of absence.
Vidya Rajan’s adaptation captures the complexities of growing up between cultures, where traditional Italian values clash with contemporary Australian life. Director Stephen Nicolazzo guides this family drama through moments of hilarity and heartbreak, allowing the three Alibrandi women – grandmother, mother, and daughter – to each claim their space on stage.
The narrative explores universal themes of identity, belonging, and the weight of family expectations while remaining firmly rooted in the specific Italian-Australian experience. Characters wrestle with questions of loyalty, tradition, and personal freedom as they navigate the space between old-world expectations and new-world possibilities.
Chanella Macri commands the stage as Josie, delivering a performance that balances teenage vulnerability with emerging strength. Her chemistry with the entire ensemble creates moments of genuine, unscripted laughter that illuminate the production’s authentic heart.
Ashton Malcolm brings thoughtful intelligence to John Barton, while Riley Warner infuses Jacob Coote with a magnetic charm that makes Josie’s romantic dilemma genuinely interesting. Chris Asimos delivers a nuanced portrayal of Michael Andretti, the absent father whose return disrupts established family dynamics with both hope and uncertainty.
The three Alibrandi women – spanning generations – form a triumvirate of resilience, their bond strong enough to weather life’s storms. Kate Davis’s set design transforms the stage into a world where overflowing tomato crates become symbols of abundance and tradition, grounding the action in tangible cultural specificity.
The production transcends potential stereotypes by examining the challenges alongside the celebrations, revealing how immigrant families navigate between preserving heritage and embracing change. Each cast member contributes to an ensemble that feels like an actual family, complete with inside jokes, shared histories, and unconditional love.
Looking for Alibrandi succeeds as both rollicking comedy and poignant drama, offering audiences insight into the broader Australian immigrant experience. Anyone seeking to understand the complexities of multicultural Australia will find profound resonance in this production’s authentic portrayal of family, identity, and belonging.
Looking for Alibrandi
Dunstan Playhouse – Adelaide Festival Centre, Festival Drive, Adelaide
Performance: Friday 23 May 2025
Season continues to 31 May 2025
Information and Bookings: www.statetheatrecompany.com.au
Following the Adelaide season, Looking for Alibrandi will be presented at Riverside Theatres, Parramatta (11 – 15 June), HOTA, Gold Coast (19 – 21 June), Geelong Arts Centre (20 – 23 August), Theatre Royal, Hobart (27 – 29 August), Middleback Arts Centre, Whyalla (2 – 3 September), Northern Festival Centre, Port Pirie (5 September), Sir Robert Helpmann Theatre, Mt Gambier (9 – 10 September), Chaffey Theatre, Renmark (12 September), Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat (17 – 18 September), Orange Civic Theatre (25 September). For more information, visit: www.brinkproductions.com for details.
Image: Jennifer Vuletic, Lucia Mastrantone and Chanella Macri in Looking for Alibrandi – photo by Matt Byrne
Review: Daniel G. Taylor