What-If Island

An autism diagnosis, a crippling breakup, a songwriter alone - what could go wrong? From the Green Room Award nominated* duo behind 'A Class Act' (2016) and 'Play Nice' (2017), and winner of the 2024 Melbourne Fringe Access and Inclusion Award, ‘What-If Island' examines the doubts we try to brush away to hold onto our serene shores. Feeling like her brain is fundamentally faulty, Ilana Charnelle has found herself washed up with the wreckage of her relationship and her neurotypical life. Through an hour of original songs and storytelling, Ilana questions how long we can live in fantasy before it all crumbles, what happens when you've been looking for answers in the wrong places, and how to love our broken parts.

5 stars:“Charnelle’s rage, humiliation, sorrow and ultimate clarity is presented with raw and unflinching honesty…Easy on the ears though piercing on the soul.” (Theatre Matters)

4 stars: “A beguiling performer with a stunning voice…this level of authenticity can’t help but move” (The List (UK))

4 stars: "Charnelle captivates the audience through song and monologue....When she hits the high notes, she taps into her visceral pain, giving goosebumps." (The Age)

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