Finding Glitter in the Storm is a darkly comic coming-of-age tale that crackles with heart, humour, and queer defiance. Writer-performer Josh Moyes brings this unforgettable new work to Club Voltaire as part of the 2026 Midsumma Festival, running 22–25 January.
What happens when your family moves to Byron Bay (Bundjalung Nation), buys a pirate ship, and throws the rulebook overboard? For Josh Moyes, it marked the beginning of a wild, tender journey through family chaos, self-discovery, and hard-won pride.
Directed by Lachlan Plain, this is storytelling grounded in truth and resilience. With razor-sharp wit and poetic honesty, Moyes explores the beauty—and absurdity—of survival when life refuses to follow the script. It’s a show that laughs loudly, lands softly, and tells it like it is.
Leaving home at just 14, Moyes put himself through high school while living in a youth refuge, later serving in Youth Parliament and presenting recommendations on youth homelessness to Australian ministers under the Howard Government. These lived experiences pulse through the work, giving it urgency, depth, and uncommon authenticity.
At its heart, Finding Glitter in the Storm navigates the subplot of coming out while diving deeper into questions of family mythology, class, identity, and the illusion of the “laid-back” coastal dream. What happens when the postcard version of life collides with reality—and splits down the middle?
A neurodivergent writer and actor, Moyes began his performance training at Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) before completing a Bachelor of Creative Writing at Curtin University.
His storytelling journey spans The Moth – where the late, beloved NZ comic Cal Wilson called his stories “superb” – to Los Angeles, where he trained with legendary acting coaches including Eric Morris and at The Groundlings. With over 20 years in the community and humanities sectors, he brings a rare blend of artistry and social insight to the stage.
This Midsumma premiere is a love letter to misfits and late bloomers—a celebration of dancing in the downpour and listening to the inner artist who never quite fit the script. Bold, funny, and fiercely human, Finding Glitter in the Storm proves that even in the wildest weather, glitter can always be found.
Finding Glitter in the Storm marks the emergence of a distinctive new voice in Australian theatre – funny, fierce, and deeply human.
Finding Glitter in the Storm
Club Voltaire, Level 1 – 14 Raglan Street, North Melbourne
Season: 22 – 25 January 2026
Information and Bookings: www.midsumma.org.au
Image: Josh Moyes stars in Finding Glitter in the Storm (supplied)