Brendon Ludlow
14 Aug 2026
The Heterosexuals — A World Turned Upside Down ★★★
The Heterosexuals starts with an interesting proposition: what if the world as we know it was flipped completely on its head? Queer people are the majority, LGBTQIA+ culture is the norm, and suddenly it is the heterosexuals whose behaviour, choices and place in society need explaining.
It is a clever concept, and there is plenty of good material here. Through a rapid-fire collection of stories and observations, the show takes the language, stereotypes and conversations so often directed towards queer people and points them squarely back at heterosexuality. Discussions around straight people appropriating queer culture are particularly camp and funny, exposing the absurdity of some real-world attitudes by simply reversing them.
On paper, the script feels like it should absolutely work. It is packed with ideas, information and unapologetic queerness, approaching familiar LGBTQIA+ conversations from an unusual angle.
Yet something doesn’t quite land in performance.
The pace may be partly responsible. Information comes so quickly that the audience rarely gets enough time to absorb one idea before the next arrives. Even in a predominantly queer room, there was a noticeable sense that the audience remained a few beats behind, whether processing a joke, understanding the premise or working out exactly where the story was heading.
Perhaps the opening needs to establish the upside-down world more clearly, or perhaps the material simply needs more breathing room. Whatever the answer, the foundations are absolutely there.
The Heterosexuals has something interesting to say and a deliciously queer way of saying it. Right now, though, the concept is racing ahead while its audience is still trying to catch up.
★★★☆☆ — 3 stars