Playwriting

Nevernatal

by Freya Magee

Everyone’s getting married and having babies and Catherine’s got a thesis and a hangover.

Catherine’s bestie Isabelle is having a baby shower and she has to wade through yet another living Pinterest hell and play that repulsive chocolate nappy name with bizarre guests Maggie, Georgina and Willow. Can you stay friends when you’re in completely different places?

Nevernatal has sold out shows at Melbourne Fringe Festival, in London and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Performances

August 2019

Club Voltaire
Melbourne Fringe Festival

July 2023

The Hen & Chickens
London previews

August 2023

theSpace
Edinburgh Fringe Festival

June 2024

Theatre503
London

  • "You have to get your face all up in it and guess which chocky wocky bar."

  • "Ready to popcorn? Or a preggatini?"

  • "Have you got kids?" "No, I'm allergic."

  • "I thought I could give each of you a tulip to take home. Well it's a tulip bulb to plant in your gardens."

  • "I changed the settings to Parisian Bakery so I can see how big she is on a scale of croissants to baguettes."

  • "Oh there's no alcohol, lovely, so safe for pre-natals if that's you. And anyway it's a baby shower. Two till four."

  • "They're tiny - are these for actual babies? You know the paper is waxed so you can't recycle it."

  • "You're the good times girl, I'm the 'Is everyone having a good time?' girl."

  • "I mean there's always going to be that negativity and uncertainty around having kids but it's up to you whether you feed it or not."

  • "No you look like you've really hit your rhythm. Positively radiant."

  • "Well no matter how involved the dad is, the mum is the one carrying that precious moon beam for nine months, and so maybe she deserves a special day for herself."

From cocktail conversation to stage

“I looked at all my girlfriends sitting at the table who didn’t want children and wondered if we could create a comedy about female friendship set a baby shower.”

In 2019, Freya Magee wrote, directed and produced Nevernatal for the Melbourne Fringe Festival to a sold out season.

In 2023 she rewrote and produced the show in London, partnering with Charlotte Cattrall to direct.

After another sellout run, they took Nevernatal to Edinburgh Fringe Festival, receiving a 4 star reviews, a lot of laughter and even a few tears.

UK Cast & Creative

Reviews

  • "full of zingers... funny, baudy and off the wall."

    London World

  • "Magee excels at characterisation, sense of pacing and comic timing. This is a sparky comedy with feminist and fun values at its heart."

    4 STARS
    North West End UK

  • "witty, intimate and deeply with the times.”

    4.5 STARS
    Theatre People, Melbourne

  • “a charming comedy that tests the strength of friendship when peoples’ lives are on the cusp of changing forever.”

    Arts Review, Melbourne

Not suitable for Children

“Friends gasped when I first told them I wasn’t planning on having kids. It was a bold claim for an 11-year old but it stuck….”

Read Freya’s article in the 2023 FemiFringe guide.

Audience comments

"Superbly written. Great dialogue. Well acted. And with many fantastic and thoughtful messages. Go and see it if you get the chance." - Dave James

"Extremely witty and fun whilst touching on something that I have never related to so much! 5 stars." - Hannah Swann

"The girls felt like familiar friends by the end." - Grace Kelly

"Superbly written. Great dialogue. Well acted. And with many fantastic and thoughtful messages. Go and see it if you get the chance." - Dave James "Extremely witty and fun whilst touching on something that I have never related to so much! 5 stars." - Hannah Swann "The girls felt like familiar friends by the end." - Grace Kelly

"So well performed and written." - Sandy Jack

"I was wetting myself the entire time." - Georgia Scott

"I was bawling! I've got a lot to think about." - Georgia Kirwan

"So well performed and written." - Sandy Jack "I was wetting myself the entire time." - Georgia Scott "I was bawling! I've got a lot to think about." - Georgia Kirwan

"Simply fabulous! A truly enjoyable romp through the trials and tribulations of babyhood with a witty script and much laughter... Loved it and recommend to one and all!" - Katie Townsend-Rose

"I felt slightly bad for the lady next to me because I laughed the entire way through." - Joshua Hunt

"Simply fabulous! A truly enjoyable romp through the trials and tribulations of babyhood with a witty script and much laughter... Loved it and recommend to one and all!" - Katie Townsend-Rose "I felt slightly bad for the lady next to me because I laughed the entire way through." - Joshua Hunt

"I woke up the next day to a text from a friend announcing that she is pregnant and the relevance, relatability and empathy of the play truly sunk in. Not to mention the laugh out loud comedy." - Josh Behn

"A heartwarming, thought-provoking piece of writing that had us laughing and welling up in the same minute. Brilliantly acted by an electric cast, whose characters struck the perfect balance between lovableness and complete ridiculousness. Compulsory theatre for 2023." - Georgie

"I woke up the next day to a text from a friend announcing that she is pregnant and the relevance, relatability and empathy of the play truly sunk in. Not to mention the laugh out loud comedy." - Josh Behn "A heartwarming, thought-provoking piece of writing that had us laughing and welling up in the same minute. Brilliantly acted by an electric cast, whose characters struck the perfect balance between lovableness and complete ridiculousness. Compulsory theatre for 2023." - Georgie

"It really laid out some of the sort of intricacies when you are moving in parallel and diverging lines with your friends." - Olivia

"I've been thinking about it a lot this weekend." - Jonathan

"Important. Poignant. The best thing I saw at the Fringe." - Kelly

"It really laid out some of the sort of intricacies when you are moving in parallel and diverging lines with your friends." - Olivia "I've been thinking about it a lot this weekend." - Jonathan "Important. Poignant. The best thing I saw at the Fringe." - Kelly

MAKE it WORK Podcast

Watch my interview with Kluane Saunders from the MAKE it WORK Podcast where we discuss bringing Nevernatal to Edinburgh Fringe. We cover advertising, budgeting, and my tips on handling the festival, as well as why bringing a show to Fringe has been a long-term dream.

Follow Nevernatal’s journey

Tonight tonight tonight! Handful of tickets left so tell your friends. . . . #london #theatre #childfree #nevernatal
Well you little rascals have done it again and sold out another Nevernatal performance - and in our biggest theatre yet! Can't wait to see you at @theatre503 . . . #theatre #london #childfree #nevernatal
Lovely day for rehearsing a baby shower in the garden. 🌷 WE OPEN THURSDAY!
One week till the dreaded chocolate nappy games begin... #theatre #london #childfree #babyshower #nevernatal
Just some of the audience responses we were honoured to capture last year... If you saw us and felt similarly, maybe tell a friend to come see us at @theatre503 next week! Link in bio.
You'll be sure to recognise someone you know amongst the baby shower guests of Nevernatal... RSVP now before tickets sell out! . . . #babyshower #childfree #nevernatal #comedy #theatre #london