Watching Don’t Panic! (It’s Happened Before), written and performed by Sam Bowden, feels like a drunk conversation with friends. Bowden turns pop culture references, conspiracy theories and ‘impolite descriptions of the English’ into a wonderful tale of hope.
The one-man show first graced stages at the Sydney Fringe Festival in 2023. In 2024, it toured Australia. Finally in 2025, it makes its theatre debut. The show (led by just three people) proves that in terms of cast, it’s definitely about quality, not quantity.
Bowden is a weapon with shock value. He jumps from Christopher Columbus to Charlie Kirk with ease. He revels in both historical and contemporary controversies and doesn’t let any topic go undiscussed.
With captivating stage presence and hilarious accents, he pulls audiences into elaborate explanations of historical events. Then, with his quick tongue, he pulls you out of it with something absurd, yet remarkably mostly true.
Perhaps the most insightful example of this is his revelation that the world needs a martyr. He suggests that without a martyr like Joan of Arc, nothing can change. The conversation ends with proposing Greta Thunberg as the best option. When this happens, you can’t just laugh at the outrage, but wonder if there’s a brutal truth behind it.
While jumping from country to country and century to century, Bowden grounds the show with a refreshing use of colloquial language. The show is deeply Australian. German soldiers aren’t just compared to meth heads, they’re ones you’d see at Potts Point McDonald’s.
These descriptions are often matched with exaggerated, repetitive acting that never overstays its welcome.
The cohesion is no doubt thanks to the masterful direction and production by Artie Gallagher. Every aspect of this show is imbued with love; nothing goes unthought of. From stage design to the way Bowden moves from topic to topic, Gallagher’s direction must be commended.
Not to mention, the comedic timing in this show is one to be reckoned with. It doesn’t let you fret about history repeating, because the show doesn’t want audiences to mope. It wants audiences to move, to take action with their lives.
As you’re pulled to this revelation, the lighting, with impeccable timing throughout from Izzy Morrisey, dims. Bowden moves and joins the audience, offering a deeply personal perspective.
The use of the projection is clever and minimal. When audience attention is drawn to the images, it breaks up the show in a way that feels natural. This allows the final words from Bowden to leave a greater impact than if the show had kept a fast pace throughout.
If the state of the world stresses you out, Don’t Panic! (It’s Happened Before) is an excellent solution. With its witty writing and beautifully optimistic outlook, this show isn’t one to miss.
Don’t Panic! (It’s Happened Before) runs to 21 November at the Old Fitz Theatre. 129 Dowling Street Woolloomooloo NSW 2011.
Tickets: https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/book-now
Website: https://www.oldfitztheatre.com.au/dont-panic
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/sambowdencomic/ and https://www.instagram.com/dontpanictheshow/
Images supplied.
