For generations, Tasmania's public figures have been at the mercy of one of the state's most beloved traditions: the Uni Revue.
The satirical showcase has been putting a theatrical spin on the biggest stories of the years since 1948.
This year, the revue celebrates its 75th anniversary with Cassie Xintavelonis at the helm, the first solo female director since the 1990s.
Xintavelonis enjoyed her first revue in 1994 but is acutely aware that even beloved traditions need to move with the times.
"A lot of jokes that were from the 80s and 90s would never hold up anywhere or be funny for anyone else these days," she said.
"But I think a lot of humour that we're seeing in these pieces is very contemporary. It's current and it's clever rather than the smutty or derogatory humour."
Today's audiences still get a healthy dose of nudity and bawdy wordplay, however, consent training has been introduced to ensure the show is satirical and safe for performers.
Xintavelonis said they also embraced a "collaborative process" whereby sketches and lyrics were brought to the team to determine whether they were edgy or inappropriate.
"There were quite a few moments this year where collectively we all went, 'Mmm, no, it kind of doesn't make mustard'. So we move on from there," she said.
"But certainly we need to look at what's current, what's happening, and what makes us angry and annoyed."
News in the revues
Uni Revue has always aimed to tap into the zeitgeist of Tasmania and beyond, from Cane Toad Dundee in 1987 to Obama Mia! in 2009.
This year's show, Net Zero, includes a COVID medley to the Grease soundtrack, with lyrics such as "I got chills, I think I'm dyin', and I'm losin' my smell", and a West Side Story sequence that pits Tasmanians against mainlanders.
The show opened in Launceston this month but it could be a completely different beast by the time it closes, with sketches re-written depending on the ups and downs of the election campaign.
Writer and performer Ben Stoneman said the recent resignation of former premier Peter Gutwein caused a change in direction.
"We're expecting Cassie, our lovely director, to an hour before we go on stage be like, 'Here's a script, learn it, you're doing it at this point'," Stoneman said.
"And depending on how the election goes, who knows where Scott Morrison's character might end up."
A history of pushing boundaries
Uni Revue laid its foundations with the creation of the Old Nick Company in 1948.
The name was chosen specifically to lampoon The Old Vic Company, which had toured Tasmania with actors Laurence Olivier and Vivienne Leigh the previous year.
As the production adapted to the changing political landscape, it also embraced new technology from the introduction of 8mm film projections in the 1970s to an online streamed show in 2020 after theatres closed due to the pandemic.
Thousands of actors, writers, technicians, designers, and producers have been involved with The Old Nick Company throughout its history.
And while performers come and go, there's always a new generation to keep the tradition alive, such as first-time performer Amaya Smith.
"I really wanted to try something different. I wanted to challenge myself and it certainly has been," the 18-year-old said.
"And I feel like the audience just relates to a lot of the issues that we bring up. It just gives them a chance to relax and have a laugh at things you generally wouldn't have a laugh at."
