10 reasons to visit the theatre in 2026
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There’s always something to see at the theatre in Canberra, and as the performing arts venues announce their 2026 season, the next 12 months are looking extra exciting.
From reimagined classics to true stories, here are 10 shows to put in your calendar. Start planning and prepare those fingers – we expect tickets to sell out fast.
Cirque Alice (Canberra Theatre Centre)
Perfect for the whole family, kick off your year with Cirque Alice – a gravity-defying circus spectacular reimagining Lewis Carroll’s classic story Alice in Wonderland.
Featuring international acrobats, aerialists and larger-than-life puppetry set against a contemporary soundtrack of iconic classical hits, you’ll be transported to Wonderland thanks to an operatic Alice, a Mad Hatter magician and a White Rabbit who can play a mean violin.
22 until 31 January | Civic Square, London Circuit, City | canberratheatrecentre.com.au
Shakespeare in Love (Mockingbird Theatre)
Adapted by Lee Hall from the Oscar-winning screenplay by Tom Stoppard and Marc Norman and directed by Chris Baldock, don’t miss the Canberra premiere of Shakespeare in Love.
Showing from 11 until 28 February (perfect for a Valentine’s Day date), this show is a witty, romantic celebration of theatre, passion, and the power of words.
11 until 28 February | Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | mockingbirdtheatrics.com
Breaking The Code (Mockingbird Theatre)
Immortalised in the film The Imitation Game starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Alan Turing’s story is extraordinary.
Directed by Zac Bridgman, Breaking The Code investigates who he was, what happened to him, and why – including how he cracked the complex German military code known as Enigma and how he shattered the homophobic social code of the time.
History buffs will love this one.
18 March until 28 March | Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | mockingbirdtheatrics.com
SWAN? (The Q)
After winning awards at Adelaide and Edmonton Fringe across 2024 and 2025, Lauren Brady’s raunchy parody of Swan Lake, SWAN? is landing at The Q in March.
Turning the tragic story of Swan Lake into a dark and raunchy rom-com that features a chain-smoking, half-swan, half-ballerina, this genre-defying one-person show fuses ballet, clown, bouffon and song.
25 March | 253 Crawford Street, Queanbeyan | theq.net.au
Lose to Win (THE Q)
The extraordinary story of Mandela Mathia’s journey from South Sudan to the Australian stage, Lose to Win is a must-see.
The production tells how he fled his war-torn home as a child, before spending many years journeying, searching, and eventually finding his way to our stage. It’s more than just a play; it’s a celebration of resilience, of the power of imagination, and of the unbreakable human spirit.
Direct from Sydney’s Belvoir St Theatre to Queanbeyan stage in May, don’t miss this tale of triumph and transformation.
May | 253 Crawford Street, Queanbeyan | theq.net.au
5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche (ACT HUB)
It’s 1956 and the Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein are having their annual quiche breakfast. After all, the world may be ending, but these women refuse to let decorum slip.
Showing from 17 July until 1 August and presented by Everyman Theatre, 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche is described as a ‘gloriously camp, high-stakes, atomic-era riot’ that promises hysterical laughs, sexual innuendoes and lots of delicious discoveries.
17 July until 1 August |14 Spinifex Street, Kingston | acthub.com.au
The Girl on the Train (Mockingbird Theatre)
Based on the international bestseller by Paula Hawkins and Dreamworks Film, this production of The Girl on the Train has been adapted by Rachel Waggstaff and Duncan Abel and is directed by Chris Baldock.
Showing from 5 to 22 August, the gripping psychological thriller will have you on the edge of your seat as you ask, “whose memories do you trust?” and wonder if every glimpse out the window is a lie.
5 until 22 August | Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | mockingbirdtheatrics.com
Picnic at Hanging Rock (ACT HUB)
Known as one of Australia’s most haunting tales, Picnic at Hanging Rock is coming to the ACT Hub’s stage from 23 October until 7 November. Adapted from Joan Lindsay’s novel, here’s the premise: Valentine’s Day, 1900. A school picnic. A blistering summer’s day. And then – disappearance.
Blurring reality and myth as the bush presses in and innocence slips away, go along to see how Chaika Theatre has put their own twist on this iconic story.
October 23 until November 7 | 14 Spinifex Street, Kingston | acthub.com.au
The Sapphires (Canberra Theatre Centre)
Packed with heart, clad in sequins and boasting a swinging soundtrack that defined a generation, The Sapphires will have you singing and dancing in your seat.
Based on the incredible true story of writer Tony Briggs’ mother, The Sapphires chronicles how four fierce and fabulous Yorta Yorta women blazed a trail from their small-town roots to the frontlines of Vietnam.
Featuring the next generation of First Nation superstars led by original director and theatre legend, Wesley Enoch, add this one to your calendar.
30 May until 7 June | Civic Square, London Circuit, City | canberratheatrecentre.com.au
Heathers The Musical (Canberra Theatre Centre)
Like your musicals dark and satirical? Heathers the Musical is the show for you. Based on the iconic movie starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater – which gained its cult status for its witty one-liners, dark themes and social commentary – the retelling of the sardonic coming-of-age story will have you singing, laughing and discussing the merits of murder.
Order yourself a slushie, look up the meaning of the word ‘myriad’ and sit back as Veronica asks the ultimate question: “Are we going to prom or to hell?”
14 until 23 August | Civic Square, London Circuit, City | canberratheatrecentre.com.au
