Nails Must Be Kept Short: The Warm Up
Fruit Box Theatre presents
Nails Must Be Kept Short: The Warm Up

1 Mar 2023 to 3 Mar 2023

Proudly Supported by Inner West Council.

Developed through Fruit Box Theatre’s RIPE Development Program and presented during Sydney WorldPride.

It’s not what’s on the bib that matters, it’s who’s underneath it.

Nails Must Be Kept Short: The Warm Up is the premiere showcase of music from new Australian musical by Sophie Davis and Laura McDonald, with music by Harry Collins.

This cutting-edge comedy satirises the homophobic ideologies often present in religious institutions through the guise of a netball cult.

Worlds collide when The Untouchaballs, a queer social team, get promoted to the big time - an elite league in Sydney's North Shore. The league's golden girl, Bec, finds herself at a crossroads when the new players shake up the strict culture of the netball scene. As things heat up, both on and off the court, Bec must confront some uncomfortable truths. Can she take the heat? Will she be able to respect the 'no contact' rule when a new player in the opposition catches her eye?

Meanwhile, the queer players are on a ride of their own, thrust into a world that doesn’t accept them. The pressure is on as the desire to belong turns a great sporting opportunity into a nightmare.

With a banging repertoire of contemporary rock-pop numbers, Nails Must Be Kept Short uses music and humour to dismantle the dangerous effects of oppressive ideologies. It's a chaotic, outrageous and unforgettable celebration of being exactly who you are. 

Don't miss your shot.

 

CAST & CREATIVES

Book and Lyrics / Directors Sophie Davis and Laura McDonald

Music Harry Collins

Music Director Zara Stanton

Producer Sarah Carroll

Executive Producers Madeleine Gandhi and Sean Landis

Designer Isobel Sanby

Dramaturg Rowan Brunt

AV Matthew Miceli Photography

With Addy Robertson, Cypriana Singh, CJ,  Jack Francis West, Katelin Koprivec, Kayla-Rose De Sousa, Laurie-Ann Wooley, Madeleine Wighton, Marissa Saroca and Sinead Cristaudo. 

Share This Event:   
Venue
The Factory Theatre
Session TimesTicket PricesDuration
60 minutes
Photo Gallery

Creatives Sophie Davis Sophie Davis
Co-Writer
Sophie Davis is a Sydney-based stage and screenwriter. She graduated from the NIDA Writing for Performance Master of Fine Arts in 2020. In 2021, Davis was shortlisted for the Rebel Wilson and CYT commission for her queer dramedy Strike Out. Other writing credits include Beth (2022), Silly to Think (2021) And a Happy New Year (2020). Her thesis 'Silly to Think and Never Question the Absurd: Integrating the Female Heroine into Absurdist Playwriting' was published in Etudes Journal for theatre practitioners and emerging scholars. more ...
Cast
You may also like... Christmas ActuallyChristmas Actually
10 Dec 2026 Session Times
Thur 10 Dec 8PM
Musical
An Uncertain TimeAn Uncertain Time
18 Aug 2026 to 21 Aug 2026 Session Times
Babies aged 0-12 months
Wednesday 19 Aug 2026 | 10am
Wednesday 19 Aug 2026 | 12pm
Thursday 20 Aug 2026 | 10am
Thursday 20 Aug 2026 | 12pm
Thursday 20 Aug 2026 | 2:30pm
Friday 21 Aug 2026 | 10am

Babies aged 12-18 months
Tuesday 18 Aug 2026 | 2:30pm

All tickets $25.00
Musical
The Kransky Sisters - A Cracker Kransky ChristmasThe Kransky Sisters - A Cracker Kransky Christmas
2 Dec 2026 Session Times
8PM
Musical
"Don't Call Me Elvis!"
31 Oct 2026 to 15 Nov 2026 Session Times
Saturday 31st October - 6.30pm dinner and show
Saturday 7th November - 6.30pm dinner and show
Saturday 14th November - 6.30pm dinner and show
Sunday 15th November - 2pm afternoon tea and show

Musical
An Evening with Rodgers and HammersteinAn Evening with Rodgers and Hammerstein
16 Aug 2026 Session Times
August 16 2PM
$70.00
Musical