Growing Pains: Teaching Body

Three PDHPE teachers have noticed some holes in the Sex Education Curriculum. The solution is clear. They must band together to form “Teachers Improving Teaching Skills”, a group ready to fill these holes the only way they know how: sports metaphors, PowerPoints and dance breaks.

Part fever dream, part offbeat conference, part overdue and honest conversation, ‘Growing Pains: Teaching Body’ is a colourful exploration of all that is wonderful and awkward about our bodies.

‘Growing Pains: Teaching Body’ had its first official showing in October 2025 as part of SURGE, a showcase of new creative work from emerging and early-career artists for New Annal 2025. This performance at Improv Theatre Sydney comes hot off the back of its season at Newcastle Fringe.

Audience testimonials include “… absolutely unreal and I was so blown away. [Growing Pains: Teaching Body] is so utterly beautiful and genuine and heartfelt and amazing”, “The writing is so wonderful and the show is so slick and authentic”, and “Such a brilliant show! … more audiences need to see this fabulousness”.

About the show, Lead deviser Phoebe Turnbull said, “Growing Pains: Teaching Body is extremely joyful and silly with a pulsing beat of reflection that feels very immediate to the moment we are in. In a world where thin is back and social messaging is to shrink yourself, the most hopeful reaction was to make the biggest and brightest show we could.”

‘Growing Pains: Teaching Body’ is the first development of ‘Growing Pains’, a series of short coming of age theatre-works.

Warnings: Discussions of sex as a function of pleasure. Explicit language. Bright lights. Brief allusions to disordered eating and sexual assault. ‘Growing Pains: Teaching Body’ is recommended for audience members aged 16 and over.

Lead deviser, performer, and co-director: Phoebe Turnbull
Co-devisers and performers: Barney Donaghy & Evie Laurence
Co-director: Hannah Armstrong

  — About Our Venue —

📍 We are at 44-54 Botany Road, Redfern, 2016

👩‍🦽 ITS is wheelchair accessible, with one small step to get into the space. 

🍺 Our bar is now open! (please note we are no longer byo as we are a licensed venue)  

🚗 There is street parking in the streets surrounding the venue.

🚂 Redfern Station is a 10 minute walk away (exit Gibbons St). Waterloo Metro 2 mins walk. 

Wanna grab food beforehand? These are our fave spots nearby:

🍔 Mountain Culture | 🍛Flyover Fritterie | 🍜 RaRa Ramen