Vivian Pham’s bestselling novel The Coconut Children was a sensation when it was published in 2020. Now, the much-anticipated stage adaptation is coming to Belvoir Theatre for an end-of-year season, with the production currently in rehearsal.

Set in Cabramatta in 1998, the story follows sixteen-year-olds Sonny Vuong and Vince Tran, childhood friends whose lives have taken very different paths. Sonny escapes into imaginary love affairs and nineteenth-century novels, while Vince has experienced the harsher realities of life, including time in juvenile detention.

Reunited through a series of unexpected events, the two navigate family secrets, shifting relationships and the complexities of growing up in a close-knit Vietnamese-Australian community. Blending humour, tenderness and moments of heartbreak, The Coconut Children explores identity, belonging, old values and new possibilities.

Belvoir Artistic Director Eamon Flack describes the production as a celebration of Sydney and its stories, saying:

“Vivian started writing The Coconut Children when she was sixteen, and it instantly became a classic of Australian adolescence. It’s Belvoir heartland material and we’re confident it’s going to bring a charismatic new generation of stars to our stage. It’s funny, it’s utterly familiar, and it celebrates our city in a new and overdue way.”

A story of friendship, family and coming of age, The Coconut Children brings Vivian Pham’s much-loved characters to the stage in a celebration of contemporary Australian storytelling.

Sydney season: 21 November – 20 December 2026
Venue: Belvoir St Theatre, Surry Hills