Queensland Theatre | First Casualty
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First Casualty

By Christopher Johnston
Directed by Lee Lewis

AFGHANISTAN 2011. OUR AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS. A WAR NO-ONE WINS. Welcome to the remote Combat Outpost Mirage, home to eight Aussie Diggers mired in our longest war. From this tiny fortification overlooking a beautiful valley in the forbidding mountains of Afghanistan's Uruzgan provi...

AFGHANISTAN 2011. OUR AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS. A WAR NO-ONE WINS.

Welcome to the remote Combat Outpost Mirage, home to eight Aussie Diggers mired in our longest war. From this tiny fortification overlooking a beautiful valley in the forbidding mountains of Afghanistan's Uruzgan province, Captain Trent Kelly and his men have a lot to deal with. When they aren't mentoring a platoon from the Afghan National Army, they're patrolling for Taliban insurgents, negotiating with a powerful local warlord, or simply making it through another day a long way from home.

Written by a serving soldier and veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan, First Casualty is a debut play like no other. It's an authentic account of the real lives of Australian troops at war — the triumphs and the tragedies, the strains and the sacrifices, the pressure and the release. There's tension, occasional explosions of violence, and humour, but at its heart First Casualty is about the friendship of the soldiers who have given up so much for their country.

This is not an anti-war story. This is not a pro-war story. This is a story of soldiers — the sons, the husbands, the fathers, the people we love.

View Program2022 Education Pack

  • Dates
    12 NOV — 10 DEC
  • Location
    BILLE BROWN THEATRE
  • Times
    Evenings: Mon & Tue 6.30pm, Wed – Sat 7.30pm
    Matinees: Wed 1.00pm, Sat 2.00pm
  • Buy Tickets
  • Night with the Artists

    Mon 21 Nov 6.30pm


    Venue
    BILLE BROWN THEATRE


    Season
    12 NOV — 10 DEC

  • Duration
    2 hours and 30 minutes, including a 20 minute interval
  • Accessibility
    Auslan Interpreted Mon 21 Nov 6.30pm
    Audio Described Sat 10 Dec 2.00pm
  • Play briefing

    Mon 7 Nov 6.00pm

  • Warning
    This production contains coarse language, strobe lighting, herbal cigarettes, dead blackouts, replica weapons, simulated violence and smoke and haze effects. It also contains audio and visual effects that may be triggering for some people. If you have audio or...

    This production contains coarse language, strobe lighting, herbal cigarettes, dead blackouts, replica weapons, simulated violence and smoke and haze effects. It also contains audio and visual effects that may be triggering for some people. If you have audio or visual sensitivities or are concerned about the content of the play we recommend contacting our box office for further information.

  • Dates
    12 NOV — 10 DEC
  • Location
    BILLE BROWN THEATRE
  • Times
    Evenings: Mon & Tue 6.30pm, Wed – Sat 7.30pm
    Matinees: Wed 1.00pm, Sat 2.00pm
  • Buy Tickets
  • Night with the Artists

    Mon 21 Nov 6.30pm


    Venue
    BILLE BROWN THEATRE


    Season
    12 NOV — 10 DEC

  • Duration
    2 hours and 30 minutes, including a 20 minute interval
  • Accessibility
    Auslan Interpreted Mon 21 Nov 6.30pm
    Audio Described Sat 10 Dec 2.00pm
  • Play briefing

    Mon 7 Nov 6.00pm

  • Warning
    This production contains coarse language, strobe lighting, herbal cigarettes, dead blackouts, replica weapons, simulated violence and smoke and haze effects. It also contains audio and visual effects that may be triggering for some people. If you have audio or...

    This production contains coarse language, strobe lighting, herbal cigarettes, dead blackouts, replica weapons, simulated violence and smoke and haze effects. It also contains audio and visual effects that may be triggering for some people. If you have audio or visual sensitivities or are concerned about the content of the play we recommend contacting our box office for further information.

Creatives

Playwright Christopher Johnston
Director Lee Lewis
Musical Director James Dobinson
Choreographer Dan Venz
Designer Renée Mulder
Lighting Designer
Paul Jackson
Original Score THE SWEATS
Sound Design THE SWEATS, Brady Watkins
Video Designer Craig Wilkinson
Associate Video Designer Jake Lodder
Intimacy and Fight Director Nigel Poulton

Stage Manager Lucy Kelland
Assistant Stage Manager Bridget O’Brien

Contributing Artist

Military Consultant Matt Cardinaels CSM
Dari Language Consultants Arwin Arwin, Reza Momenzada
Pashto Language Consultant Masood Ehsan

Cast

Captain Trent Kelly Mitchell Bourke
Sergeant Jack Hunter Steven Rooke
Sapper "Thommo" Kent Reagan Mannix
Ali Reza Momenzada
Corporal Nick "Woodsy" Woods Will Bartolo
Malim Khan Amer Thabet
Brigadier Michaela Cain/Lucy/Psychologist Christen O'Leary
Mohammed Arwin Arwin
Bucko/Chorus/Dance Captain Trent Owers
Ahmed/Journalist/Ensemble Adam Kay
Journalist/Ensemble
Kevin Spink
Abdul/Ensemble
Silva Pearce

Design

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Bootcamp

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Play Briefing

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Sneak peek

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Ticket prices

$66 — $82
$66 — $89
$66 — $94

Group bookings of 8+ full price adult tickets receive 1 complimentary ticket per group.
† 35 & Under prices are available with official document providing birthdate (e.g. license).
* Concession prices are available with a full-time student card, Centrelink Pensioner card, Healthcare card and Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) cards.
^ Seniors prices are available with an eligible Queensland Government-issued Seniors Card, excluding Business and National Senior Cards.

Ticket Prices

Group bookings of 8+ full price adult tickets receive 1 complimentary ticket per group.
† 35 & Under prices are available with official document providing birthdate (e.g. license).
* Concession prices are available with a full-time student card, Centrelink Pensioner card, Healthcare card and Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) cards.
^ Seniors prices are available with an eligible Queensland Government-issued Seniors Card, excluding Business and National Senior Cards.

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