Ivona Rose, Coast Community News

When Donné Restom’s writing mentor gave her the prompt “these are the things I know about death”, the exercise set the Umina Beach singer on a cathartic personal and professional journey.

Grief and resilience evolved into the one-woman dark comedy show Everyone in My Family Is Dead or About to Be, set for Gosford’s Fun Haus Factory on Friday, January 9, and Saturday, January 10.

The 46-year-old multidisciplinary artist lost her brother to suicide when she was 15.

“Once I got going, I realised that sometimes life is clearest when viewed through the lens of its inevitable end,” she said.

The show’s premiere was nominated for the Sydney Fringe Festival 2024’s Best in Theatre Award.

Originally enrolled in the Faber Writing Academy writing a novel course, her focus shifted from fiction writing after attending Adrienne Ferreira’s inaugural Brave Words workshop in Avoca Beach.

“She opened my eyes to memoir and telling true stories,” Restom said.

Local storytelling shows, Words on the Waves Writer’s Festival – Late Night Lit and Brave Words Live, offered the opportunity to test works in progress.

“I got immense satisfaction from these short, immediate works,” she said.

Kink In The Tale, her R18+ show, was inspired by this storytelling format and sold out at the Sydney Fringe Festival.

For that production, she invited local and award-winning authors Dylin Hardcastle, Luke Carman, Duncan Fellows and Dan McIvor to join her in telling “bedtime stories for grown-ups”.

It wasn’t until she began working with 46-year-old writer, director and dramaturge Nadia Townsend, from Ettalong, that the cohesive line through her stories became apparent.

“Initially, I thought it was just storytelling, but she helped me realise it was so much more,” Restom said.

Following a writer’s residency at the Newcastle Lighthouse in 2024, where Restom completed the first draft, the script was further developed by Townsend.

Through Central Coast Council’s Performance Illuminated PEN Residency, the work was then taken from the page to the stage, bringing in Julian Garner as co-director with Townsend.

Together, they worked on the physical aspects and brought a powerhouse of theatre experience and stagecraft to stories that explore how we live with loss and how death shapes the choices we make.

Restom now presents her debut theatre piece to Central Coast audiences as part of a double feature with Virgin in a Knife-fight by Logie award-winning actor and writer Rob Carlton.

Known locally as a co-founder of Brave Words Live, Carlton will preview his newest work ahead of its 2026 premiere at the Perth Fringe Festival.

His national tour begins in March, including a performance at Avoca Beach Theatre on Sunday, March 15.

“I think of Rob and Adrienne as mentors, and Rob is a trailblazer in this genre,” Restom said, while Carlton said: “Donné’s show is as dynamic as she is”.

Tickets and information are available through the Fun Haus Factory website at funhausfactory.org.au

This article appeared in Coast Community News, 18 December 2025.