Playwright David Williamson has updated Family Values to keep it relevant to the new government, but things haven't changed as much as he would like.
"The Labor Party is terrified of being wedged by the right wing ... they're still running scared of Peter Dutton shrieking that they're weak on borders," he told AAP.
Family Values follows retired judge Roger (Peter Kowitz) and wife Sue (Andrea Moor) as they gather their family for a birthday, but when unexpected guests arrive, the play becomes an examination of Australia's treatment of refugees.
It's an issue the renowned dramatist has felt strongly about for years.
"What we've been doing with refugees has been very morally wrong, and the impetus to write the play was anger at the treatment of perfectly decent people," he said.
Family Values opened Queensland Theatre's 2023 season on Thursday night, having premiered at Sydney's Griffin Theatre in 2020. It's the first time the work been staged since Labor won federal government.
Queensland Theatre artistic director Lee Lewis, who directed the production at Griffin and now at Queensland Theatre, hopes the updated version will revive the conversation about refugees.
"I didn't feel that the last government was listening. I know that this one is and I want to help them with it," she told AAP at the Queensland opening night.
As well as tense and often hilarious family dynamics, the play is also driven by what happens when tribalism takes hold. Williamson believes some of the hate legitimised by Donald Trump in the US has also taken root in Australia.
"A lot of a lot of debate isn't debate, it's deep-rooted prejudice masquerading as debate - it's nasty, it's ugly, but some of that makes good drama," he said.
Lewis is inspired by the playwright's belief that change is possible.
"He believes in the power of storytelling, which I find incredibly hopeful after a huge career," the director said.
Since the 1970s, the acclaimed playwright has shown a unique ability to skewer Australia's social ills, and his plays have become a barometer of Australian society over their 50 years in production.
"I try and tune into the cross-currents of what Australia is about at the moment, and I try to explore human nature itself," Williamson said.
The uncomfortable thing is, when he applies the microscope to our beliefs and prejudices, our family dynamics and personal desires, Australians come out looking, well, a little bit petty.
Williamson is anything but. He's well aware he's had a longer run than many playwrights, and is grateful to still be drawing audiences after so many years.
"I've been blessed by good productions, good directors, and hopefully because I've got something to say."
