


Sonder
A one-man musical journey through love, loss, club culture, whakapapa, and survival.
Set inside a pulsing nightclub that fractures into memory, ritual, and reckoning, Romeo confronts the moments that taught him to disappear and the choice to stay.
Sonder is a coming-of-age story that refuses neat resolution, asking instead what it takes to remain in your body when love, truth, and belonging have felt dangerous. Blending live electronic music, ancestral chant, Mau Rākau, and raw storytelling, the piece moves between ecstasy and stillness, intimacy and chaos.
This is not about redemption. It is an act of presence.
Visceral, poetic, and quietly devastating, Sonder invites you to live in the breath between running and staying.
A world-premiere Australian musical, Sonder is performed by Riki Lindsey, who also wrote the book and lyrics, composition by Mitchel Sloan and direction and design by multi-award-winning director and lighting designer Alexander Berlage.
Cast and Creative Team
Writer (Book & Lyrics): Riki Lindsey | Writer (Music): Mitchell Sloan | Director, Set & Lighting Designer: Alexander Berlage | Cultural Advisor & Mau Rakau Instructor: Herb Ratahi | Sound Designer: Mitchell Sloan | Movement Director: Fetu Taku | Sound Systems Designer: Em-Jay Dwyer | Stage Manager: Jasmine Power | Lighting Programmer: Lachlan Hogan| Cast (of 1): Riki Lindsey
This listing is updated as cast/creatives are confirmed in the lead-up to the production, and if there are changes to the team
Approximate Run Time: 60 minutes
Content Warnings: Sonder explores themes of intergenerational trauma, childhood sexual abuse (referenced, not depicted), family violence, homophobia, substance use, and the long-term impacts of silence and shame.
The production includes moments of emotional intensity, immersive sound design, haze and flashing lights.


