Fountain Lakes: Y2K - Fringe World 2026
- Kate O'Sullivan
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Reviewed by Kate O'Sullivan
It’s 1999, the dawn of a new millenium. Kath hasn’t got her perm yet, Kim is skinny, Sharon is yet to discover her love of netball and Dawson’s Creek is the gold standard for romance. In this joyful, world-premiere sequel, Fountain Lakes: Y2K takes us back for a hilarious catch-up with our favourite Fountain Lakes residents. Kath (Art Simone) is collecting Beanie Babies and dipping her high-heeled foot into the brave new world of online dating, searching for a love story worthy of prime-time TV. Sharon (Jemima Handful) is volunteering with Healthy Harold, while Kim (Thomas Jaspers) announces she’s marrying Brett (Scott Brennan) at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve. What could possibly go wrong...
The show is packed with nostalgia and irreverence, delivered through campy song and dance numbers, razor-sharp writing, and lovingly accurate character work. Fans of Kath & Kim will delight in learning the backstories they never knew they needed: how Kath got her perm, how Prue and Trude ended up with their shop, how Kel enters the picture, the list goes on. When the humour lands, it lands hard — including a perfectly timed nod to an iconic music video that had the audience in absolute stitches.
The costumes are absolutely on the money across the board - particularly Kath’s, which are truly gorgeous (I'll have that final outfit, ploise) - and the lip syncing is perfection. All of the performers bring huge energy, and even a rogue microphone can’t stop this runaway train. It’s a testament to the cast’s professionalism that technical hiccups barely register as the laughs keep rolling.
There’s a tiny bit of audience participation, but nothing to be scared of - just enough to keep things playful and connected without putting anyone on the spot. If you're sitting in the front rows, just know, those performers can see you, and are relishing the opportunity to poke just the right amount of fun (says the reviewer who got called out for the empty softdrink cans in her open handbag).
Witty, silly, and endlessly entertaining, Fountain Lakes: Y2K is a joyous celebration of turn-of-the-millennium chaos and classic Australian comedy. I laughed, I reminisced, and I loved every minute of it.
Reviewer Note: Tickets for this review were provided by the theatre company.
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