PASSIONFRUITS

Writer & Director: Liam Hinton

Co-Director: Ruby Brett

Producer: One Question Theatre

The Meteor, 20-22 August 2026

In 2025, Liam Hinton wrote Passionfruits. Since then, the play has gone on to win the 2026 ADAM PRIZE for BEST PLAY, persevered through an eight-month rehearsal period, and is about to close its inaugural (and sold-out) season at The Meteor. That is an extraordinary feat.

Act One is set during Christmas 2009, and Act Two jumps to a decade later. Three generations assemble for Christmas dinner and any issues that were simmering below the surface are laid out in sparring matches between parents and siblings, and with grandchildren in attendance.  

Colin Hodkinson’s portrayal of cantankerous patriarch Roy was outstanding. Tracey Slaughter assuredly played mum Helen as the peacekeeper, unable to reconcile the truth about her misplaced loyalty.

Chanelle Harrison (Emelia) and her two brothers played by Nick Hall (Lance) and Christian Starr (Shaun) each had their own issues to contend with, and their strong personalities combined with sibling rivalry made for some powerful performances. Ruby Brett (Leah) shone as Shaun’s wife and a protective mother. Brett also co-directed, co-produced and costumed the play. Wow!

The experience of watching Christmas dinner dissolve into a shambles was best summed up by a comment I overheard at intermission, “My cortisol went up listening to that. I’m lowkey allergic to arguments.”

I must give credit to Hannah-Rose Cook (Brooke), Rhyver Sharp-Beckett (Jake 2019) and Sam Armstrong (Stranger) who appeared in only one act or the other. Longer than a cameo, but a shorter appearance when considered against the other roles, these thespians delivered pivotable performances that were truly memorable.

Nick Hall stole the show in the second half with a fiery performance that was uncomfortably confronting.

Passionfruits was staged in traverse (seating blocks on two sides facing each other). This was an adept choice for a piece that delves deeply into resentment, anger, and the complexities of family dynamics and gave the actors nowhere to hide.

A monologue that explicitly and obscenely detailed a sexual encounter was wholly inappropriate in a production that included children who were on stage during its delivery. Even if the children had been offstage when spoken, it still would have been unacceptable. This type of description should be reserved for mature audiences and a cast made up entirely of adults.

Aside from that monologue, there were other confronting issues including suicide, miscarriage, death, racism, chronic illness, grooming, disability and eating disorders. Although Hinton showed great insight and understanding of the issues, he has an extraordinary talent for humour. The throwaway lines and comebacks were genius, as was some split-stage dialogue in Act Two. The audience responded exceptionally well to the moments of light relief scattered through the play.

Act One was 70 minutes in duration, and Act Two slightly less. With hefty editing, Passionfruits could achieve a sweet spot of 100 minutes. Passionfruits is likely to go on to have wider success as word about the gritty roles and unwavering dialogue gets about.

One Question Theatre’s marketing campaign was a lesson in understated promotion that hit the right note with theatregoers through its less is more approach and for once I am unable to share a ticketing link as there is nary a seat left.

Congratulations, Liam, on your ADAM PRIZE win and sold-out season.