Does Queensland humour translate to the rest of Australia?
With the latest made-in-Brisbane musical Bananaland about to begin its run at the Sydney Festival, director Simon Phillips is about to find out.
"It'll be interesting to put it into another territory and see which of the gags still read for all Australians, or whether it's just very particularly Queensland-based laughs," he told AAP.
Starring Max McKenna, Georgina Hopson, Joe Kalou and Maxwell Simon, the musical follows the members of angry punk conceptual art outfit Kitty Litter.
The band's songs include titles such as Consumerist Pig, Ballad of a Dead Banker and Requiem for the Patriarchy in D minor.
But when Kitty Litter finds itself with a runaway kids' hit on its hands, it has to decide whether to maintain the rage, or become the next Wiggles.
It's a comedic concept that should have legs wherever it goes, said Phillips, who is known for his work on Priscilla Queen of the Desert and Ladies in Black.
After its premiere at QPAC as part of the Brisbane Festival in 2023, Bananaland plays at Parramatta's Riverside Theatres from Wednesday.
Underneath the sunshine state gags is a tale about the complexity of artistic integrity, said Phillips.
"It's very mature and open just about not judging anyone, it's got a lot of beautiful things to say about human nature," he said.
Kate Miller-Heidke and her partner Keir Nuttall, both Queenslanders, worked together on the musical Muriel's Wedding, which Phillips directed.
Some of the action, such as a moment the musicians are mistaken for the merch chicks, comes from Miller-Heidke's own experiences on tour, while one band member, who makes music with shovels and power tools, is inspired by Nuttall's time in gritty punk bands.
When the couple wanted to create an original show from the ground up, Phillips was on board before they had even written any music.
Nuttall's writing had an original voice and both comic and dramatic rhythm, Phillips said.
"I love them both, they're fantastic colleagues and brilliantly talented, and I knew the music was going to be great, so I was very keen to get on board."
After the Sydney Festival, the production team is keen to see whether they can run a larger tour of the show.
Bananaland runs from Wednesday until January 14 at Riverside Theatres, Parramatta.
