Torch The Place

It’s Mum’s 60th. The kids have brought cake, presents… and a skip bin.

From Queensland born-and-bred TV writer and author Benjamin Law (The Family Law), comes his breakout comedy Torch the Place - a hilarious and deeply moving exploration of family, legacy, and the things we hold onto — literally.

Teresa’s mum can’t let go of anything — from grudges to Princess Di's ash trays to late 90s Disney VHS. She sees her ordinary Gold Coast home as a museum of irreplaceable treasures. But she’s not a curator… she’s a hoarder.

When her children return to celebrate her 60th birthday, she’s thrilled to have them home. But this isn’t just a reunion — it’s an intervention. Armed with a skip bin and good intentions, the siblings attempt to help their mother confront decades of detritus, rusted-on emotions and long-buried memories.

Inspired by Law’s own family experience and Australia’s fast-growing problem with compulsive hoarding, Torch the Place balances sharp wit with a deeply emotional reckoning around trauma, identity, and the meaning of “stuff.”

Directed by Queensland’s own Ngọc Phan (Vietgone, Boy Swallows Universe) in her mainstage solo-directing debut and starring an ensemble you’re going to fall head-over-heels for, Torch the Place is a “poignant modern comedy” (Arts Review) about a modern family that “will make you laugh, cry, and call your mum” (ArtsHub).

Praise for Torch The Place

“A poignant modern comedy”
— Arts Review

“Delightful”
— The Blurb

“Laugh out loud zingers… full of heart and humour”
— Limelight

Torch the Place was first produced by Melbourne Theatre Company in 2020.