Reviews

West Gate

By Dennis McIntosh. Presented by Melbourne Theatre Company, directed by Iain Sinclair. Southbank Theatre, The Sumner 140 Southbank Blvd, Southbank, Melbourne. 10 March — 18 April 2026

At 11.50 am on 15 October 1970, the West Gate bridge collapsed while under construction killing 35 workers. Despite being an historically well-documented event this tragedy has often been buried in the Australian and Victorian psyche. 

Contest

By Emilie Collyer. Space Jump Theatre Company. Directed / Produced by Kirsty Semaan. Flight Path Theatre, Marrickville, Sydney. 17 – 28 March, 2026

Is this a play by a poet or is it a staged poem by a playwright? Melbourne-based writer Emilie Collyer, in her 60s and still going strong, presents evidence from both sides in this intriguing piece brought to life with great force by a lively 5-woman company under Kirsty Semaan’s watchful direction. By the end, I’d say it’s a two-way bet between poem and play.

David Rose: Our Hebrew Friend

Adelaide Fringe 2026, The Squeaker at Gluttony - Rymill Park. Tue, 17 Mar - Sun, 22 Mar, 2026

Given the issues confronting our world at the moment, the show’s title may be considered as courageous. David Rose, according to Ancestry. com is 15% Ashkenazi Jew. For the uninitiated, this is a Jewish diaspora population originating from the Rhine River in Germany and Northern France, representing the majority of the world's Jewish population today. They are defined by a distinct cultural, linguistic (Yiddish), and genetic heritage that blends Middle Eastern and European origins.

Trophy Boys

By Emmanuelle Mattana. State Theatre Company South Australia presents a Soft Tread production in association with the Maybe Pile. Space Theatre – Adelaide Festival Centre, King William St, Adelaide. March 17 – April 2, 2026

Boys will be boys, unless they are played a female and non-binary cast in drag in State Theatre Company/Soft Tread’s latest production Trophy Boys!

Written by Emmanuelle Mattana at just 21 years old, it is a masterful piece of writing! Over a all too short 70 minutes, we are introduced to four St Imperium Private School boys who are in their one-hour prep window to go toe-to-toe with their sister school in the Interschool Debating Grand Finals.

The Children

Written by Lucy Kirkwood. IO Performance. Directed by Chris Jackson. IO Performance HQ, Launceston, TAS. 18-28 March, 2026

Well, there's timely, and there's timely and then there's staging a production of The Children, while the world seems to be literally going to hell in a handcart. And as a young Boomer who grew up during the Cold War and its accompanying abundance of futuristic, post-nuclear-apocalyptic films, I couldn't help feeling particularly shook with a sense of deja vu.

Eugene Onegin

Composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Libretto by Tchaikovsky and Konstantin Shilovsky. Opera Australia. Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House. Directed by Kasper Holten. Conducted by Anna Skryleva. March 17 - 28, 2026

What was Timothy Chamalet talking about? Opera (and ballet) might an artform that that he doesn’t care much about – but at the opening night of Opera Australia’s latest production the enthusiasm of the audience was palpable.

A stunning looking production, lots of nice tunes, set to tale of young love, dashed hopes, and men behaving badly, made this a delicious mix. My plus one made the comment that this production rocked.

Eden

By Kate Gaul. Siren Theatre Company. Adelaide Fringe 2026. The Gallery at The Courtyard of Curiosities. March 17th - 22nd, 2026

Siren Theatre Company is based in Sydney. Established in 1997, one of its objectives is to commission and produce new Australian plays. At its helm as artistic director is the talented and experienced writer, director and producer, Kate Gaul. Gaul’s world premiere Eden is a coming-of-age story, but one that is shaped by death, familiarity, love and fractured families.

A Song at Twilight

By Noël Coward. Old Mill Theatre, South Perth, WA. Mar 13-28, 2026

The curtains open on the Old Mill Theatre’s A Song at Twilight to reveal a stunningly beautiful set, that sets the standard for this Noël Coward classic.

The action in this play runs essentially in real time, over the course of a single evening in a luxurious lake-side Swiss Hotel, within the regular suite of Hugh Latimer and his wife Hilde. When an old flame of Hugo’s comes to meet him for dinner in his suite, what could possibly go wrong?

Witness For the Prosecution

By Agatha Christie. Primadonna Productions. Directed by Carole Dhu. The Fishtrap Theatre, Mandurah Performing Arts Centre, WA. Mar 13-14, 2026

Playing for a sadly short season, this simply staged, beautifully produced Agatha Christie classic is one of the best plays ever to come out of Primadonna Productions. Nicely paced and with strong, layered performances, this was a joy to watch.

Brassed Off

By Paul Allen, adapted from the screenplay by Mark Herman. Melville Theatre. Directed by Vanessa Jensen. Main Hall at Melville Civic Centre, Booragoon, WA. Mar 13-28, 2026

Melville Theatre’s Brassed Off is a unique production, with Melville Theatre Company working with Challenge Brass Band, under the leadership of Blake Seglar, to provide the brass band of the story. Sitting nicely in accidental repertory with Koorliny’s Billy Elliot, which covers similar theme, this is a strong production whose reputation has preceded it, with the production largely sold out before it opened.