18 Eden Avenue
Writer: Roger Gimblett and Sally Bodkin-Allen
Director: Roger Gimblett
Genesian Theatre, Rozelle
13 – 28 March, 2026
18 Eden Avenue is a heartwarming musical about three strong women negotiating the daily challenges of contemporary life.
Honoria, her daughter Sophie and granddaughter Poppy inhabit a rundown historic house at 18 Eden. They manage to make ends meet by taking in boarders to boost Sophie’s precarious income as a dance teacher. A long-term boarder, Arthur, and young neighbour Simon, the boy next door, complete their comfortable little society.
Into this cheerful familial arrangement arrives a handsome new boarder, Gilford, an aspiring actor, fresh from the country. An attractive addition to the cosy , Gilford unleashes hidden energies among all the members. Honoria and Sophie have previously been performers and some of their old excitements are revived, while granddaughter Poppy, on the cusp of adulthood, vacillates between an attraction to Gilford and her affection for Simon.
Their daily stresses are very relatable: Sophie, as the chief breadwinner, worries about servicing a mortgage on her precarious, part-time income, Gilford worries about the absence of acting offers, and Poppy wrestles with the usual angst-creating teenage issues. And, as with all families, there are also hidden secrets to tantalise the audience.
Naturally, as a musical, 18 Eden Avenue is laden with songs which serve to give insight into the cast’s hopes and fears. Gilford sings the actor’s lament “What’s my motivation?”, Honoria reminisces in “When I Dream”, Sophie muses on a past love in “Her Father” and Arthur does a wonderful rendition of “The Other Side of Me”. All are vocally excellent.
The actors strive to present the emotional lives of their characters with humour and affection. Jenny Jones as Honoria is particularly entertaining as she flits in and out in costumes of her former roles – it’s sheer eccentricity rather than senility – as she gives young Poppy some solid advice. Isabella Rodrigues as mother Sophie is sympathetically presented, while Sophie Laurantus as Poppy is sparkling in her youthful aspirations.
A stand-out performance is given by Greg Thornton as Arthur, initially the extremely retiring boarder, but who turns out to be something of a saviour. Jasper Barnard is impressive as Simon, who quietly worships Poppy while also delivering some very funny lines, and Jack Taylor as Gilford endures the spectrum of roles an aspiring actor must accept.
Director Roger Gimblett has delivered an excellent piece of musical theatre, an entirely feel-good experience for early 2026, and the delighted audience certainly showed their full appreciation.
