Losing Face Review
By Jake Freeman
Let’s face it. We all want to look younger, sometimes at any cost. From wellness resorts to cosmetic procedures and treatments like looksmaxing, society’s obsession with youth continues to grow. This Losing Face Review explores Melbourne Theatre Company’s latest Australian comedy, which cleverly examines the impossible beauty standards facing women today.
Some even take it to extremes, such as Jocelyn Wildenstein, whose extensive cosmetic surgery transformed her appearance, or entrepreneur Bryan Johnson, whose anti-ageing experiments have included controversial plasma infusions.
In this new Australian stage comedy Losing Face, the impossible standards placed on women approaching middle age are explored with humour, honesty and heart. As one character remarks early in the show, “Women in their 50s in the 1980s looked like the cast of The Golden Girls. Now women in their 50s look like Jo-Lo.” The play also beautifully examines the complexities of lifelong female friendship.
Written by Australian Writers’ Guild Award winner Marieke Hardy and directed by Leticia Cáceres, this production has been described as an unhinged, perimenopausal mash-up of Weekend at Bernie’s and The First Wives Club.
Losing Face follows Jo (Michala Banas), a travel writer celebrating her 50th birthday with best friends Simone (Madeleine Sami) and Lauren (Christie Whelan Browne) at an exclusive wellness retreat. Expecting a luxurious escape, the trio instead become caught in a bizarre cosmetic experiment that spirals into hilarious and unexpected chaos.
From the opening scene, Michala Banas, Madeleine Sami and Christie Whelan Browne are outstanding together. Each performer is given the opportunity to shine, creating believable friendships and delivering genuine warmth alongside the comedy.
Will King and Genevieve Morris almost steal every scene they appear in. King’s flamboyant Tomas and Morris’ dual role as both nurse and fellow guest provide many of the evening’s biggest laughs, with exceptional comic timing and physical comedy.
The production values are another highlight. Popular hits from the 1990s and early 2000s immediately set the mood before Jo Briscoe’s revolving set effortlessly transports audiences between the women’s accommodation and the wellness retreat’s communal spaces.
Heading into the theatre, I honestly wasn’t expecting to enjoy the show as much as I did. Instead, I found Losing Face to be witty, clever and surprisingly moving. At 105 minutes with no interval, it rarely loses momentum. The audience erupted with laughter throughout, and there were even moments where cast members appeared close to breaking character, adding to the fun.
The emotional weight of the third act elevates the production beyond straightforward comedy, delivering a heartfelt conclusion that lingers well after the curtain falls.
With Losing Face, there is truly something for everyone. It will resonate with audiences navigating middle age while also appealing to anyone looking for an entertaining night of Australian theatre. Productions like this deserve continued support.
Losing Face stars Michala Banas, Madeleine Sami, Christie Whelan Browne, Will King and Genevieve Morris. It is directed by Leticia Cáceres and written by Marieke Hardy.
Losing Face is now playing for a limited season at Southbank Theatre, Melbourne.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
If you’re looking for a smart, laugh-out-loud Australian comedy with heart, Losing Face is well worth seeing.
Please see link for tickets and more information https://www.mtc.com.au/plays-and-tickets/whats-on/season-2026/losing-face
