In times of financial stress, it seems like everybody’s jumping into bed with everyone else.
asserted
everybody → seem → everyone
I’m speaking metaphorically about theatre companies, of course.
asserted
I → speak → course
Queensland Theatre has announced its 2027 season of eight mainstage plays, and five of them are co-productions – “co-pros” – with other Australian theatre organisations.
asserted
five → announce → organisations
It’s no secret the arts are in a perilous place, with major musicals cancelling their tours mid-run and companies making cuts to claw back eye-watering losses, so cost sharing via co-production is naturally an attractive option.
asserted
sharing → ’ → production
But as Queensland Theatre artistic director Daniel Evans points out, his season offers big shows – only one of which has a cast smaller than seven.
asserted
one → point → seven
“I’m swinging big, and it feels like Queensland Theatre Company is now punching into a larger space and establishing ourselves, not just for Brisbane, but also for Queensland, and joining that national conversation,” he says.
Evans’ second season also continues his policy of “event theatre” – familiar titles to draw audiences who may prefer to know what they are getting.
He says he always imagines how potential audience members would react to hearing about the shows in their feeds.
uncertain
members → swing → feeds
“Would that be enough to pull you away from your scrolling to go, ‘I’m gonna put pants on, come out into the world, put my money down, and be part of that’?”
asserted
I → pull → that
In times past a season featuring a top Broadway musical, a beloved Shakespeare and an adaptation of a popular novel might be considered pretty commercial for a state theatre company.
uncertain
season → feature → company
QT’s 2027 has all that and more: a murder mystery featuring a popular TV sleuth; a Homeric legend perfectly timed after The Odyssey’s box office triumph; and a hit rock’n’roll play clearly based on the making of Fleetwood Mac’s album Rumours.
asserted
2027 → have → album
An Iliad Feb-Mar
A Sydney Theatre Company co-production starring David Wenham, An Iliad sold out its run at the Wharf Theatres earlier this year and scored five-star reviews.
asserted
- → star → reviews
“I thought it’d be big news that he’s coming to Brisbane, but a lot of people see him in the New Farm Coles,” Evans quips about Brisbane resident Wenham.
asserted
Evans → think → Wenham
“You’re watching an actor at the height of their powers.
asserted
You → watch → powers
Imagine the Trojan War being told to you by this brilliant poet-cum-Aussie larrikin, who breaks the fourth wall and brings you on this incredible journey.”
asserted
who → imagine → journey
Romeo & Juliet Feb-Mar
The star-crossed lovers get re-imagined with song, movement and First Nations storytelling.
asserted
lovers → re → song
“The Capulets and the Montagues are transposed into two warring tribes,” Evans says.
asserted
Evans → transpose → tribes
“One is of the sky, one is of the earth, and their conflict comes around because of a broken song circle.
asserted
conflict → come → circle
“High schools are studying Shakespeare and recontextualised myths, and we’re hoping that this really pulls in some educational audiences.”
asserted
this → study → audiences
Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries: Death by Deckchair Apr-May
This co-pro with Sydney Theatre Company and Jones Theatrical Group is having its world premiere in Brisbane.
uncertain
pro → have → Brisbane
Amber McMahon is Phryne Fisher in the stage reboot of the TV series from the show’s original writer, Deb Cox, based on Kerry Greenwood’s novels.
asserted
McMahon → base → novels
“It’s sort of Knives Out on the ocean, meets Downton Abbey via The Great Gatsby and it’s very, very fun,” Evan says.
asserted
Evan → meet → Gatsby
In 1976, a British-American band labours in the studio to match the smash success of their first album.
asserted
band → labour → album
If you ever thought the making of Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours would make a good fictional narrative, then this is it.
asserted
this → think → narrative
QT has teamed up with both Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney’s Belvoir St Theatre for a play Evans says moves like “an Aaron Sorkin choreographed dance”.
asserted
Evans → team → dance
“Everyone breaks up, makes up, they have complete nervous breakdowns, fall into addiction, and all the way through you hope against hope that they’re going to actually land the album.”
asserted
they → break → album
Counting and Cracking May-Jun
Queensland Theatre and Belvoir St Theatre have joined forces with Brisbane Powerhouse to remount this landmark Australian play, which travels to the West End and New York after playing at the Powerhouse.
uncertain
which → count → Powerhouse
“It’s massive: 21 people on stage, a sweeping saga that goes across many generations,” Evans says.
asserted
Evans → ’ → generations
“It moves between contemporary Sydney and past events in Sri Lanka, and so what you’re watching is a story of a family reconciling who they are with who they were.
asserted
they → move → are
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Jul-Aug
With another Queensland Theatre-Opera Queensland co-production, Into the Woods, about to open at the Glasshouse, Evans is returning to Stephen Sondheim and what many regard as the composer’s dark masterpiece.
asserted
many → open → masterpiece
Andy Conaghan plays the murderous hairstylist, and Naomi Price (Calamity Jane) is his partner in crime, Mrs Lovett.
asserted
Price → play → crime
“Naomi was over the moon, it’s one of her dream roles.
asserted
it → ’ → roles
She is thrilled, as you can imagine, to be going from the wild west to a deliciously deviant baker.
asserted
you → imagine → baker
A queer Australian writer travels to his ancestral village in Italy to scatter his father’s ashes, only to find the family history he imagined is complicated.
asserted
he → travel → history
“It’s this funny, dark and sublime take on Eat, Pray, Love,” Evans says.
asserted
Evans → ’ → Love
“Alberto’s playwriting voice is somewhere between Mike White from The White Lotus, it has that searing political bite, mixed with the poetry of Christos Tsiolkas.”
asserted
it → have → Tsiolkas
Little Women Nov
Louisa May Alcott’s novel of sisterhood and self-actualisation gets a new stage adaptation with Courtney Cavallaro (A Few Good Men) as Jo.
uncertain
novel → get → Jo
“When I tell people that we’re doing it, women say, ‘I’m a Jo March, I wanted to cut my hair off because I was such a Jo.’
asserted
I → tell → hair
“I’m hoping that audiences embrace it so it becomes our seasonal Christmas classic.
asserted
it → hop → it
Something that grandmas can bring their granddaughters to.”
asserted
grandmas → bring → granddaughters
Get alerts on significant breaking news as it happens.
asserted
it → get → news
The Aporia
