I visited the Ensemble Theatre to see The Elevator, a brand-new Australian comedy.

The story centres around Margot, who has just returned from maternity leave and is back in the CEO’s chair. Her company is already dealing with a major PR mess, and things get even more complicated when she becomes stuck in the office lift with two of her colleagues.

And when I say things get complicated… they REALLY do!

What starts out as a pretty awkward situation quickly turns into a funny, uncomfortable and at times quite chaotic look at workplace politics, ambition, motherhood, power and just how far people will go to get what they want.

There are only three actors in the entire show — Leeanna Walsman, Di Adams and Shirong Wu — and they are all fantastic. The three characters are very different, and I loved watching the dynamics between them change as the story unfolded.

There are plenty of laughs, but there is also quite a bit underneath the humour. It gets you thinking about the pressure women can put themselves under, trying to juggle work, family, ambition and everything else life throws at them. There are also some very current themes around big business, technology and AI.

I particularly liked that it wasn’t just a straightforward comedy where you sit back and laugh. There were moments where I found myself thinking “What would I actually do in that situation?” and wondering how far I would go if I was in their shoes.

The fact that the entire play takes place around an office lift also makes it quite different from a lot of theatre productions. You really feel like you’re right there with these three women as the tension builds.

It’s 90 minutes with no interval, which I actually really liked. It’s long enough to get completely drawn into the story without feeling like you’re sitting there for hours.

If you’re looking for something different for a night out, particularly if you enjoy comedy with a bit more to think about afterwards, The Elevator is definitely worth checking out.

And of course, Ensemble Theatre itself is such a lovely place to see a show — it’s intimate, so you really feel close to the action.

The Elevator is playing at Ensemble Theatre in Kirribilli until 18 October. It’s recommended for ages 14+ and does contain some adult themes and occasional coarse language. Get your tickets here!

My verdict: A funny, clever and very relatable night at the theatre, with plenty to talk about afterwards.