Brisbane Arts Theatre has a cracking collection of productions lined up for 2013 and the latest, 'Trivia' looks hilarious.

The play, written by local Brisbane author Stephen Vagg ('All My Friends Are Leaving Brisbane'), is a laugh-out-loud comedy that has its own Trivia Master. Directed by veteran Ali Kerr, the story revolves around Michaela, who decides to get a team to enter a trivia competition. What happens next will change their lives. Two members of the cast — Cindy Nelson and Francesca Gasteen explain more.

Describe this show in 5 words?
CN: Funny, Charming, Honest - like me!
FG: Love. Life. Loss. Laughter.... and the friends that get you through (more than five words, sorry!)

What part do you play?
CN: I play Michaela, who gets the trivia team together.
FG: My role is AJ, the loveable and slightly neurotic best friend to Cindy Nelson's Michaela.

How did you become involved in this production?
FG: Cindy and I had the amazing opportunity of being in the original production, along with Steven Vagg, the writer, which played to sold out crowds at the Metro Arts in 2006. We've always had a particular soft spot for this play and when we heard the Arts Theatre had included it in their 2013 season and that the wonderful Ali Kerr was directing, we had to audition!
Your best line from the play?
CN: “Fell off a roof, did she?"
FG: “Australians don't give up, unless it's really, really hard”

What's your favourite trivia moment from your life?
CN: Playing trivia with my mum and step dad in a small English village for my mum's 50th birthday
FG: I get a little too competitive in pub trivia surrounds (it's something I don't like to talk about). So it'd have to be that feeling when you're playing Trivial Pursuit and you get all of the pieces of the pie.

Why should audiences come see this?
CN: They'll laugh. They'll cry. They'll wish they could shout out the answers.
FG: Primarily to have a good time - to laugh and maybe shed a tear with these highly relatable characters and situations.
Any crazy/ weird/ funny behind-the-scenes stories?
FG: There was a particular afternoon when Ali & Kym, our assistant director, took us to a pub to soak up the atmosphere so we could replicate it on stage and it turned into the best rehearsal of any production, ever. Especially with the addition of some unlikely cohorts in the shape of backpackers on a pub crawl!
CN: Yes! That rehearsal really tested the resolve of the actors to keep straight faces.

What's your top trivia tip?
CN: Go with your first answer. Then see if anyone else has the right one.
FG: Refrain from taking your smart phone to a trivia night. It can prove too tempting!
What do you want audiences to say as they leave?
FG: That they had fun — and that they'll tell all their friends to come along!
CN:   Awwww.

Anything else readers should know?
CN: See it. You'll regret missing out when your mates tell you how good it was!
FG: If you've ever wanted to feel a part of a team, if you've ever laughed and cried with your mates, you'll love 'Trivia'.

'Trivia' is playing at the Brisbane Arts Theatre from March 23 – April 20.