Riverside presents
A Freshwater Entertainment and Management production
THAI-RIFFIC!
By Nathan Luff, adapted from Oliver Phommavanh’s best-selling novel
When all your friends want Pad Thai and all you want is pizza!
Albert “Lengy” Lengviriyakul is the son of Thai immigrants who own a restaurant called Thai-riffic! in Western Sydney. He is about to start high school and is desperate to transform his image and just eat some pizza. When his teacher sets a group assignment that focuses on another culture, it becomes apparent that Lengy will not be able to get away from his embarrassing family as easily as he would like.
Through a series of events involving bulk toilet paper, a purple curry and a trip to the Thai New Year Songkran Festival, Lengy discovers his Thai background is pretty awesome after all.
This hilarious and heartfelt play about acceptance, family and belonging will have you laughing out loud!
Please Note:
Tickets to this event are sold to 75% of capacity. All Riverside patrons will be seated in line with current NSW Public Health guidelines, allowing patrons to be seated alongside each other. If you have any questions and would like to discuss this with a member of our team, please contact our Box Office staff on 02 8839 3399 or email BoxOffice_Riverside@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au
This production contains live cooking (food smells).
Suitable for ages 7 – 14 and their families
*Please contact Box Office directly for group bookings of 8 or more at $55 each, email boxoffice_riverside@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au or call 8839 3399.
Riverside Theatres is registered with the NSW Government as a COVID Safe venue. Our COVID Safe plan was developed in line with federal and state government health guidelines, and following consultation with Live Performance Australia, other NSW venues, and various government bodies, on enhanced health, hygiene and safety measures. These measures include: reduced audience capacity; social distancing; wearing face masks; mandatory Service NSW QR code registration check in; extra cleaning; increased sanitisation of high-touch surfaces; the provision of hand sanitiser, anti-bacterial wipes and hand washing facilities throughout the venue; traffic management plans to alleviate congestion in public spaces; and dedicated COVID Safe Hygiene Marshals.
Please review our Patron Safety Information before you visit us at Riverside.
It is also important that if you are unwell you stay home, we have updated our ticket conditions and our Box Office team are available to talk through your exchange and refund options. You can contact the Box Office on 02 8839 3399 or email BoxOffice_Riverside@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au
Thank you for keeping our community safe.

The development of Thai-riffic! was supported by Riverside Theatres
Director
Lisa Freshwater
Designer
Mark Thompson
Lighting Designer
Martin Kinnane
Sound Designer
Nate Edmonson
Audio Visual Designer
Mic Gruchy
Illustrator
Evi O
Production Stills
Branco Gaica
Heidrun Löhr
SUITABLE FOR YEARS 3 – 8
(Stages 2 – 4)
According to the exemption under the public health order (COVID 19 Restrictions on Gathering and Movement) Order (No 7) 2020 (NSW) under the Public Health Act 2010 (NSW), issued on February 1 2021, organised groups who enter a premises as part of a school, child care, aged care or disability group are not required to provide the premises with contact details of every person in their group. This is subject to the following conditions:
- It is duty of the group organiser (teacher or carer) to keep an electronic record of the entire group and their contact details for 28 days after the event.
- The group organiser must provide the premises (Riverside Theatres) with at least two contacts to make available to NSW Health.
From the Program Coordinator…
Thai-riffic! is a well-crafted and funny show, perfectly pitched at the ‘tween’ age group. Its important themes and ideas, along with its cheekiness will keep your students engaged. Being one of the few Australian-based productions for young people with a story about second generation Thai Australians, it is also a show that really reflects our contemporary Australian community. In particular, children of migrant families will find this production relatable and relevant.
Curriculum Links and Resources
Download the Curriculum Links here: Thai-riffic! Curriculum Links
Download the Teacher’s Notes here: Thai-riffic! Teacher’s Notes
Schools Bookings
1 teacher free for every 20 students booked.
For further information and to book please contact our Education Booking Coordinator on 8839 3308 or email education_riverside@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au, or fill in our Schools Bookings Form here.
Riverside’s Risk Assessment & Covid Safe Plan
Download our Risk Assessment
Download our Covid Safe Plan
Accessibility
Download information about Access at Riverside
Access Points
Interactive Performance
High levels of audience interaction creating a less formal environment and requiring less ‘passive’ attention by audience members.
Visual Cues
This production has strong visual cues giving students a different reference point for comprehension of the narrative or subject matter.