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

★★★★½
— Scenestr

★★★★½
— The Scoop

★★★★
— Limelight

★★★★
— Australian Book Review

“Torch The Place finds laughs and heartache in family clutter.”
— Embrace Brisbane

“A bold celebration of messy families.”
— Theatre Haus

“Jeremy Allen’s behemoth of a set design is incredibly, authentically detailed.”
— Blue Curtains

“A sprawling, stirring play about what we truly value.”
— Limelight

“Briana Clark’s lighting design deserves special praise - she is absolutely one to watch.”
— The Scoop

“The set design and costumes by Jeremy Allen are brilliant.”
— Stage Whispers

“Fiercely funny and surprisingly tender”
— The Scoop

“Ngoc Phan has done a brilliant job in realising the story’s balance of dark humour and serious themes”
— Stage Whispers

“Benjamin Law’s play has something for everyone.”
— Westender

“A must-see”
— The Scoop

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

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