La Boite has kicked off its 2021 season with the world premiere of Naked & Screaming, a new Australian family drama by award-winning playwright Mark Rogers. Directed by Sanja Simić and performed in the round, the work is a rapid-fire rollercoaster that seeks to explore the fear and uncertainty of new parenthood and to comment on the gendered aspects of physical and mental labour in parenting and domestic relationships more broadly.

Jackson McGovern and Emily Burton in La Boite’s Naked & Screaming. Photo © Morgan Roberts

Naked & Screaming follows young couple Emily and Simon over the first year of their child’s life. When a work opportunity calls Simon to Los Angeles, Emily is left alone with three-month old baby Dylan. Isolated, overwhelmed, and in a haze of sleep deprivation after spending all night lulling him to sleep on a train, she accidentally gets off without him. This incident is the beginning of a downward spiral for Emily and Simon as accusations are made, communication breaks down, and trust disintegrates into suspicion and resentment.

Naked & Screaming illustrates the importance of robust support systems and post-natal care for new parents...