Written by American playwright Jonathan Spector and directed by Craig Baldwin, Eureka Day is a comedy of manners and meltdown. What begins as polite virtue-signalling spirals into a chaotic, hilarious clash of ideologies.

The performance opens with a group of earnest adults deliberating over a school admissions form — specifically, whether another identity box should be added to its already exhaustive list. It’s 2018, and the executive committee of Eureka Day, a private progressive primary school in Berkeley, California, tiptoe through every decision with excessive care. Words are chosen with precision — “with your permission” is routinely dropped in — and divergence is met with a chirpy “we welcome your unique perspective.” With a wave of jazz hands, consensus is king, and nothing moves without it.

That is, until a mumps outbreak forces an emergency meeting. Vaccination becomes the urgent agenda item — and all hell breaks loose.

The cast of five, all adopting American accents, deliver pitch-perfect performances as tensions escalate and cracks in the committee’s unity widen. The all-star cast consists of Principal Don (Jamie Oxenbould) and a mix of parents: Suzanne (Katrina Retallick), Eli (Christian Charisiou), and May (Deborah An), along with new member Carina (Branden Christine). Stand-out for me was Retallick, who brings real depth to the play as she reveals her personal reasons for opposing immunisation.

The audience was rolling in their seats during the community activated conversation when the discussion was brought into the virtual realm and as so commonly happens, the online exchange hilariously derails. The set design shines here, projected on dual screens on the upper sides of the stage — one showing the livestream chat, the other close-ups of the committee — the scene becomes a riot of digital dysfunction. With all the online parents furiously typing their conflicting views, accusations and ideas, the discussion quickly escalates and goes completely out of control, with poor Principal Don snapping, shouting at the computer ‘stop typing’, and finally ending the online stream noting “this format is not facilitating us bringing out our best selves to the conversation.”

As tensions and tempers rise, smiles fade. Through gritted teeth, the once positive and optimistic committee begins to unravel. Should they revise the school’s immunisation policy? An awkward conversation erupts into arguments over climate change, the environment, evolution, big pharma, and more.

A sign on the wall glows ‘this is our happy place’, ironically undercutting the chaos. Kate Beere’s vibrant set and costume design evokes a cheerful primary school library, complete with an entire section of the library dedicated to books on social justice, making it clear Eureka Day is no ordinary institution.

Though set pre-pandemic, the topic of immunisation is still acutely relevant, and highly contentious. The vaccination debate remains polarising, and the play raises uncomfortable questions about consensus, privilege, and the illusion of open-mindedness in the face of irreconcilable beliefs. How do you resolve an argument with multiple opposing views and where there is no middle ground? While it might not offer the answers, Eureka Day is both relatable and thoroughly entertaining.

4.5 stars

Run time: 100 minutes (no interval).

Presented by Outhouse Theatre Co and Seymour Centre, Eureka Day is playing at Seymour Centre until 21 June 2025. 

For tickets visit Seymour Centre