Joshua Hinton brings his grandmother’s legendary chicken curry to the QPAC stage for Brisbane Festival audiences in the heartwarming show, A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen (or How to Make the Perfect One-Pot Chicken Curry).
Inspired by his family’s restaurant in Milton, which his grandparents opened in 1983, Hinton highlights the importance of connection. He weaves his family’s roots into a story about identity and culture while cooking a delicious dinner right on stage for everyone.
A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen had an extraordinary debut last year as part of the MERRIGONGX Artist Program. Theatre-maker and singer-songwriter Joshua Hinton gave audiences a taste of his family’s epic recipes in this intimate and familial performance.
It has since made its mainstage premiere at Illawarra Performing Arts Centre in August this year, and travelled to the Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre, before coming to the 2025 Brisbane Festival.
Hinton expertly blends narrative, lighting, sound, and scent to tell his story. He takes audiences across the globe – and back in time – through his kitchen supplies.
Spices act as family members, pots and pans as vehicles, and a map illustrates the journey throughout. In a fascinating adventure, audiences travel to Iran, India, Sri Lanka, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and back home to Brisbane.
Joshua bounces across the stage from story to story with refreshing energy. He makes fantastic use of the stage to perfectly embody the characters and tales he brings to life. His passion for his family and culture is inspiring and infectious.
Vision and sound designer Dominic Hinton works his genius onstage alongside his brother. Hiding behind a desk and a laptop, he gives the occasional cheeky comment and stirs trouble in typical brotherly fashion.
Working with director and production designer Leland Kean, they skilfully transform the stage into a wondrous, homely vision. Images of the restaurant, family photos, and the spice-covered map flick onto the screen behind Joshua in a stunning display that really makes the theatre their own.
While it’s technically a one-man show, there are so many amazing visuals and sounds that it seems like the stage is filled with different characters. This is felt most strongly through their grandmother, whose voice echoes through the theatre again and again.
She becomes part of the conversation, interrupting stories as if from within. At one point, her photo is projected onto the kitchen cupboard, gazing out at the audience as though she, too, were a performer. Her presence, woven so uniquely into the production, creates a touching layer that feels both intimate and profound.
For the finale, the two brothers perform their original song, Evergreen in a touching conclusion. Dominic plays the guitar as Joshua sings about family and creating new memories. It’s a calming, reflective tune that works as a seamless transition to the dinner service in the foyer.
A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen (or How to Make the Perfect One-Pot Chicken Curry) is the perfect recipe for a wonderful night out this Brisbane Festival. A pinch of cumin, a spoonful of laughter and a bucket load of cherished memories, this touching story of belonging and connecting with culture can’t be missed.
A Place in the Sultan’s Kitchen (or How to Make the Perfect One-Pot Chicken Curry) runs to 20 September at the Cremorne Theatre, QPAC as part of 2025 Brisbane Festival.
Tickets are available here.
Website: https://www.brisbanefestival.com.au/events/a-place-in-the-sultans-kitchen
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/joshjhinton/
Photo credits: Tracey Leigh
