Cruise by Jack Holden — Fruit Box Theatre

“Let’s make sure we’re travelling so fast that the heat we generate when we reenter the sky will burn us up and paint the night with light.”

Backlit by the clubs of London’s Soho, Michael Spencer faces the music of his last night on Earth. Diagnosed with HIV in 1984, he's told by doctors that he has just four years to live. Determined, he decides his doomsday will be his biggest party yet. Sweat mixes with tears, and final dances turn into farewells. There’s a midnight countdown to his death but Michael … survives. With the gift of life, how can he go on living?

Nominated for four Sydney Theatre Awards including a win for Best Performance of a Leading Role in an Independent Production (Fraser Morrison), this sold out, five star “tour de force” (Stage Noise) returns to Sydney for round two. Presented by Fruit Box Theatre and Seymour Centre, Cruise is an intergenerational monologue spanning four decades and over 20 characters, celebrating queer nightlife and paying tribute to a generation lost to the AIDS crisis.

Writer Jack Holden
Director Sean Landis
Producer Maybelline San Juan
Consulting Producer Madeleine Gandhi
Movement Director Jeremy Lloyd
Sound / Costume Designer Chelsea Wheatley
Lighting Designer Tom Hicks
Accent / Dialect Coach Linda Nicholls-Gidley
Stage Manager Caity Cowan
Production Cinematographer Anna McGirr
Production Photographer Abraham de Souza

With Fraser Morrison

Performing at Seymour Centre (Cnr City Road &, Cleveland St, Chippendale NSW 2008, Australia)

Fri 9 Oct 7:30pm (preview)
Sat 10 Oct 2pm (preview)
Sat 10 Oct 7:30pm (preview)

Tue 13 Oct 6:30pm (preview)
Wed 14 Oct 7:30pm (opening night)
Thu 15 Oct 7:30pm
Fri 16 Oct 7:30pm
Sat 17 Oct 2pm
Sat 17 Oct 7:30pm

Tue 20 Oct 6:30pm
Wed 21 Oct 7:30pm
Thu 22 Oct 7:30pm
Fri 23 Oct 7:30pm
Sat 24 Oct 2pm
Sat 24 Oct 7:30pm

Tue 27 Oct 6:30pm
Wed 28 Oct 7:30pm
Thu 29 Oct 7:30pm
Fri 30 Oct 7:30pm
Sat 31 Oct 2pm
Sat 31 Oct 7:30pm

BE AN EARLYBIRD: SAVE 15% WHEN YOU BOOK BEFORE 18 APRIL

Full $59

Concession (Pensioner, Veteran, Senior)* $49

Under 35, FT Student*, Group 8+ $43

Preview $41

$7 transaction fee applies.

Online bookings close 15 minutes prior to each show start.

*Please be prepared to present corresponding ID at your event if requested by our staff.

Contains drug use, coarse language, adult themes, sexual references, sex scenes, haze smoke and loud or sudden sounds. Filming and photography prohibited.

If you have access needs, please contact the Seymour Centre Box Office staff at 02 7255 1561.

★★★★★ "A triumph of beautifully nuanced observations and compassionate storytelling" - Chad Armstrong, Cultural Binge

★★★★★ "It cries out to be seen more than once" - Diana Simmonds, Stage Noise

★★★★★ "Astonishing, captivating and transformative. This sold out season of Cruise deserved all the praise it received" - Justin Clarke, Theatre Thoughts

★★★★★ "Extraordinary" - Sophie Highmore, Spot On Sydney

★★★★1/2 “Fabulously and irresistably entertaining" - Suzy Wrong, Suzy Goes See

★★★★1/2 “This is a play full of joy" - Christine de Matos, ArtsHub

★★★★1/2 “A masterclass in transformation" - Victoria Luxton, Stage Door Reviews

★★★★ “You won’t see a more agile 90 minutes of solo acting this year – or an indie production more deserving of a return season" - Jason Blake, Limelight

“Executed Brilliantly” - Carroll Wimmer, Stage Whispers

"History hurts, but the sharing of it heals" - Paul Nolan, Sydney Arts Guide

“Gritty, lively, sexy and heartbreaking” - William Winter, Honi Soit

“Despite it all ..we dance!” - Andrea Bunjamin, Theatre Travels

"A piece like this is a beautiful gift." - Paul Gilchrist, Theatre Reds

"Flawlessly designed" - Anna Sokolova, Theatre Ins and Outs

SYDNEY THEATRE AWARDS 2025

Winner: Best Performance of a Leading Role in an Independent Production (Fraser Morrison)

Nominee: Best Independent Production

Nominee: Best Director of an Independent Production (Sean Landis)

Nominee: Best Sound Design and Composition of an Independent Production (Chelsea Wheatley)

KXT AWARDS 2025