Entertainment
20 September, 2026
Infertility at crux of play
CAIRNS playwright and producer Kimberley Greaves is bringing women’s health, infertility and the pressures of womanhood to the stage in a new comedy premiering at The Rondo Theatre.
‘Straight Outta Marriage’, directed by Lillie McNamara, follows three sisters on a night out celebrating Clare’s divorce, until a prophecy from a paint-and-sip instructor sends the evening into chaos.
The production explores endometriosis, infertility, heartbreak and the expectations placed on women.
Ms Greaves began developing the play after joining the Write Sparks program in 2024, following her endometriosis diagnosis.
“I want people to kind of stop telling me what to do with my uterus,” she said. “It kind of became an exploration about that, about women in their 30s and the pressures that society kind of puts on them to either become a mother or not become a mother.”
Ms Greaves, who has a background in sketch comedy, said humour offered a way to bring audiences into conversations that could otherwise be difficult to have.
“I think when I started writing this play, I didn’t necessarily know it was going to be about infertility in particular,” she said.
“But as it developed, I realised those are things that we don’t talk about enough, and if we could find a way to do it through comedy and get that conversation started, then maybe there is a lot of space for awareness and advocacy in that.”
Her experiences seeking treatment also shaped parts of the production, including scenes based on an early gynaecological appointment.
“Some of them are verbatim from my first gynaecological appointment,” Ms Greaves said.
“I recorded it because there was just so much information and some of the things that are said are actually in that scene.”
The relationship among the three sisters is central to the production, drawing on Ms Greaves’ experience of growing up as one of four girls.
Ms Greaves said The Rondo Theatre’s intimate setting was important for a production combining comedy with more vulnerable material.
The show was written and produced in Cairns, with Ms McNamara directing.
Straight Outta Marriage runs from 1 October to 3 October at 7.30pm at The Rondo Theatre. Tickets are $20 and the 70-minute production is rated M 15. Tickets can be purchased here: www.cnslocal.s.gy/nJHiYl
