Queensland Theatre has cancelled the entire season of its new production, the satirical political comedy POTUS, or Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive.
The announcement was made on Friday 2 August 2024 via the Company’s social media channels.
‘Last night [Thursday 1 August] the difficult decision was taken by the Board of Queensland Theatre to cancel our season of POTUS, or Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying To Keep Him Alive due to health issues impacting some of our wonderful cast,’ the social media statement read.
‘The entire Company are heartbroken for you, our audience and supporters, as we always want to deliver the outstanding theatre experiences you love and deserve. However, the wellbeing of our cast, creatives and crew is our top priority.’
Queensland Theatre’s production of POTUS was due to run from 27 July to 24 August 2024 in the 351-seat Bille Brown Theatre.
Previews of the play on 27 to 31 August had already been postponed, while on Wednesday 31 July, opening night audiences were advised that Queensland Theatre had ‘made the difficult but necessary decision to cancel the opening night for POTUS [scheduled for Thursday 1 August] due to cast illness’.
That same email advised that overall season dates for POTUS were going to be pushed back ‘to ensure the team can deliver the great theatre you expect and deserve’.
The Board’s subsequent and surprising decision to cancel the production outright – with their decision made on the night the play was due to open – will not have been made lightly given the significant impact of a production’s last-minute cancellation on Queensland Theatre’s finances.
Industry insiders have told ArtsHub that, based on the size of the Billie Brown Theatre and the length of the season, the outright cancellation of POTUS could conservatively result in a $500,000 box office loss for Queensland Theatre.
Furthermore, standard theatre contracts often stipulate that playwrights receive an additional 10% of box office for any professionally mounted production of their work in addition to the original cost of licensing the play, a figure which is unlikely to be waived despite the play’s cancellation.
A statement from Queensland Theatre
In response to a number of questions from ArtsHub, a Queensland Theatre spokesperson provided the following statement, which was also shared with cast, creatives and their management upon the decision to cancel the production being made:
‘This week the difficult decision was taken by the Board of Queensland Theatre to cancel the season of POTUS. After considerable deliberation, they unanimously determined that there were too many uncertainties to fulfil their duty of care and for the company to deliver a successful and safe season,’ the statement read.
‘This decision was based on an assessment of the current status of the production, which as of Wednesday evening was:
- one actor unable to perform due to injury (this role had been recast 12 hours earlier)
- one actor unable to perform for personal reasons (this actor gave their notice yesterday and the role was not yet recast)
- all Previews and Opening Night had been cancelled, due to the above
- first possible public performances were looking likely to be Wednesday 8 August
- choreographers/movement directors were not available last minute to work at length with new cast members [in] the time frame, and
- reasonable hours of cast, crew and POTUS Company and Queensland Theatre Company members after an extended tech week, including multiple cancellations.
‘The Board’s decision was communicated in a timely fashion to everyone who was present at on [sic] Wednesday night by Criena Gehrke, Executive Director of Queensland Theatre, and Dean Gibson, Chair of the Queensland Theatre Board. Those who were not present in person were notified by phone call,’ the statement continued.
‘I can confirm that Queensland Theatre will pay all contracts out in full.
‘The Board is acutely aware of the emotional impact and disappointment this decision may have on the POTUS Company and recognise the hard work, commitment and talent of all the dedicated cast, crew and creatives. Anyone who requires support has been offered access to our free and confidential Employee Assistance Program,’ the statement concluded.
Behind the scenes
Written by US playwright and screenwriter Selina Fillinger and premiering in April 2022, POTUS was described as ‘a political farce … lampooning the patriarchy’ by The Washington Post in 2023.
Queensland Theatre’s own media release said the play was ‘centred [on] a fictitious President of the United States’ (POTUS) foul-mouthed faux pas in front of the media and foreign dignitaries.
‘It follows his team of seven powerhouse women as they navigate misplaced hallucinogenic drugs, a sex scandal and an assassination attempt — all within 24 hours and [with] a nosey journalist looking for the inside scoop.’
ArtsHub understands that Queensland Theatre’s production of POTUS was to have featured a double revolve set and intensive fight choreography.
Based on the cast details listed in the POTUS media release, no swings or understudies were employed for the production, despite the employment of understudies becoming common practice as the industry continues to deal with the lasting impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Read: Queensland Ballet announces shock departure of Artistic Director
The Australian premiere of POTUS was to have marked the return of former Artistic Director Lee Lewis to Queensland Theatre after her shock resignation in March. Lewis’ tenure at the company was marked with critical and commercial acclaim. Simultaneously, the company was also criticised for cultural incompetence for its 2022 production of First Casualty, also directed by Lewis.
Lewis and the cast appeared excited and happy about POTUS in promotional footage and at a public play briefing held at the beginning of their production week, just 10 days before the season was cancelled.
Queensland Theatre has been without an Artistic Director since Lewis’ departure in March. Former Board Chair Elizabeth Jameson previously stated that the three Associate Artistic Directors (Isaac Drandic, Daniel Evans, and Fiona MacDonald) would have shared responsibility for programming the company’s 2025 season.
In an email to the public at the time, Jameson said, ‘The Board will keep you informed of our recruitment plans for the next Artistic Director’.
To date, Queensland Theatre has not advertised for a new Artistic Director, nor has the Company made any public statements about future recruitment plans.
ArtsHub has requested a meeting with current Queensland Theatre Chair Dean Gibson and/or the Company’s Executive Director Criena Gehrke in the hope that they can provide an update on the next Artistic Director’s recruitment and the current state of Queensland Theatre more generally.
