Cactus is a brutally funny, heartbreakingly honest award-winning play for anyone who is or ever has been a teenager. 

“Everyone knows that friendships made in bathrooms are ones that last for life.” 

Cactus follows Abbie and her best friend Pb as they navigate their last year of high school. It’s going well. I mean, they’re still virgins, but it’s going well. Milestones are being met. Exams are drawing near. Freedom is on the horizon. Then Abbie gets some news that suddenly and unceremoniously plunges her into a world she wasn’t ready for. 

Winner of the ATYP Rebel Wilson Theatre Maker Scholarship Shortlisted for the Rodney Seaborn Playwrights Award Nominated for an Australian Writer’s Guild Award.


CACTUS will also be livestreamed on Aug 17, Thursday, 6:30pm. Livestream playback will be available for 72 hours.

“(Cactus) A vivid and touching and effortlessly funny portrayal that puts the intimate textures of female companionship centre stage.” – The Age

“Cactus is an opportunity to see a great combination of both writing and performing talent that are clearly working in complete harmony.” – Stage Whispers

Advice to schools: CACTUS contains coarse language consistent with contemporary Australian writing and speech. There are references to sexual encounters, references to drinking alcohol, references to female menstruation, and references to surgery.

Written by Madelaine Nunn

Directed by Katie Cawthorne

Performed by: Georgia Heath and Fran Sweeney-Nash

Lighting Design by Kris Chainey

Sound Design by Rachel Stone

Costume Design and Associate Set Design: Angelica Rush

Produced by Madelaine Nunn

Production and Stage Manager: Sian Halloran

Image by Darren Gill


Access Information:
auslan logo

Auslan Interpreted: Aug 24, Thursday, 6:30pm

Visual rating 50%: Events are partly subtitled or include dialogue, background music and/or sounds, so d/Deaf and hard of hearing audiences can have some engagement with the event.

Aural Rating 50%: Has both sound and visual components, but sight isn’t essential to be able to engage with the event.


Cactus is on the VCE Theatre Studies Unit 4,  Playlist.

Australia council logo

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council for the Arts, its arts funding and advisory body.

More about La Mama Learning Program