Eric Jiang's Rhomboid comes to fortyfivedownstairs this October

A hilarious and heartwarming new play about navigating friendship, relationships and love as a queer Asian-Australian, fortyfivedownstairs presents the Melbourne premiere of Rhomboid by Eric Jiang this October.

Xavier meets Sebastian in high school. They instantly hit it off, but it doesn’t take long for things to get complicated. Moving through university and into the real world, they miss each other, find new partners, have chaotic encounters, and make their own way.

For Xavier, the allure of a promising future smashes into a murky reality – especially as a queer Asian-Australian. As he fumbles through relationships and unusual friendships, Xavier continues to orbit Sebastian, sometimes closely, sometimes from afar, infuriating him and craving him in equal measure as they gradually figure out what they mean to each other.

Presented by fortyfivedownstairs as part of the 2026 Melbourne Fringe Festival, Margot Morales (And She Would Stand Like This, Antipodes Theatre) directs the Melbourne premiere of this funny and touching play by Eric Jiang (Lacuna, Griffin Theatre) about the unexpected forms love takes.

Eric Jiang is a queer Chinese-Australian writer/director based in Sydney. His practice uses text as a starting point to bring together eclectic forms and registers, complicating queer futures, familial cultural exchange, and friendship.

“a delightful, sassy saunter through the life of a friendship as it is redefined and liberated from the shackles of expectation.” – Theatre Thoughts

Rhomboid
fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Season: 2 – 11 October 2026 (preview: 1 October)
Information and Bookings: www.fortyfivedownstairs.com

Image: Rhomboid – photo by George Jefford | edit by Anna Piper Scott