A PLAY about mateship, cultural identity and the all-important, all-Australian sausage sizzle, Australia Day will hit the Criterion Theatre in August.

Get ready for an hilarious and uncannily accurate portrayal of life in a rural Australian town.

You could be forgiven for thinking playwright Jonathon Biggins handpicked the central characters straight out of the Clarence Valley, while the unfolding events, including a Twenty20 cricket match involving the mayor, mirror much of Grafton's own annual festivities.

But such is Biggins' mastery and skill, the play is in fact set in the fictional NSW country town of Coriole. The author suggests replacing place names with familiar locations, which director Fran McHugh has duly taken on board.

And once Tyndale, Halfway Creek, Lismore and Junction Hill find their way onto the script, the result is a play of unbelievable relevance, highlighting the common values, issues and characters that exist in towns throughout the NSW bush.

With no shortage of sausages, Australia Day is bound to have you in stitches from start to finish.

Showing at the Criterion Theatre in Grafton from August 11 to August 21.

Tickets are available from Red Hot Hair in The Link, Grafton. Table seating and single tickets are available.

Australia Day is rated M because it contains course language.

BYO nibbles and drinks for your enjoyment.