The first Sydney revival of Matthew Whittet’s play since its premiere (it was recently produced in Melbourne) doesn’t sing quite as strongly as it did at Belvoir in 2015, but Seventeen has lost none of its power to twang the strings of your own nostalgia.

Noel Hodda, Peter Kowitz, Di Adams, Katrina Foster and Colin Moody in Seventeen. Photo © Carlita Sari

Five schoolies and one younger sibling arrive at a suburban playground for a night of binge drinking to celebrate the end of high school.

Mike (played by Peter Kowitz) is the evening’s ringmaster, showy in his pleasure at being free of the classroom for good. For Tom (Noel Hodda), the evening is at least doubly significant: he is headed for university in another city. A whole new life beckons even as the current one remains in flux.

Mike’s vivacious girlfriend Sue (Di Adams) and her brainy bestie Edwina (Katrina Foster) rock up, the former more ready to party than the latter. Ronny (Colin Moody), a kid from a dysfunctional home with nowhere else to go, has invited himself. So has Mike’s 14-year-old sister Lizzy (Di Smith).

The evening unfolds in...