Local theatre productions to see (and love) this winter
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Canberra is home to a thriving local theatre scene, with productions to suit any theatre buff.
From political dramas to comedies that will have you clutching your belly, here are six you’ll want to grab tickets to this winter.
The Beauty Queen of Leenane
Experience Martin McDonagh’s darkly comedic masterpiece in this intimate production by Free-Rain Theatre. Set in a rural Irish cottage, this powerful play follows plain, middle-aged Maureen and her manipulative mother Mag as they navigate isolation, hope, and sabotage when romance finally enters Maureen’s life.
Director Cate Clelland brings together a stellar local cast including Alice Ferguson, Janie Lawson, Bruce Hardie, and Robbie Haltiner in this quietly devastating black comedy that explores the malevolence of people living hopeless lives. Don’t miss this brilliant two-week run of work from one of Britain and Ireland’s greatest living playwrights.
Wednesday 25 June to Saturday 5 July | ACT Hub, 14 Spinifex Street, Kingston | acthub.com.au
Meteor Shower by Steve Martin
Corky and Norm are excited to host Gerald and Laura at their home in the valley outside Los Angeles to watch a once-in-a-lifetime meteor shower. But as the stars come out and the conversation gets rolling, it becomes clear that Gerald and Laura might not be all that they appear to be.
Over the course of a crazy, starlit dinner party, the wildly unexpected occurs. The couples begin to flirt and insanity reigns. Martin, using his trademark absurdist humour, bends the fluid nature of time and reality to create a surprising and unforgettably funny new play.
*Contains adult themes 15+
Saturday 26 June to Saturday 5 July at 7.30 pm. Matinee performance at 2 pm on Saturday 5 July | Belconnen Arts Centre, 118 Emu Bank, Belconnen | belcoarts.com.au
A Doll’s House, Part 2
What happens after “happily ever after”? Fifteen years after Nora Helmer famously slammed the door in Ibsen’s classic, she’s back with unfinished business. Canberra REP presents Lucas Hnath’s bold and darkly funny sequel, featuring contemporary dialogue in a period setting that creates a striking juxtaposition between past and present.
Starring Lainie Hart as Nora, this provocative reimagining explores identity, obligation, and personal freedom with wit and emotional complexity. Director Joel Horwood promises accessible, thrilling theatre full of big ideas that will spark deep conversation, whether you know the original play or not.
Until Saturday 28 June | Canberra REP Theatre, 3 Repertory Lane, City | canberrarep.org.au
Enron
An exhilarating business thriller, Enron exposes corporate greed through Lucy Prebble’s razor-sharp business thriller. Blending tragedy with savage comedy in this high-stakes political theatre production, it will take you inside the most infamous corporate scandal in history.
Wednesday 16 July until Saturday 9 August | Mill Theatre at Dairy Road, 1 Dairy Road, Building 3.3, Fyshwick | milltheatreatdairyroad.com
Julius Caesar
Shakespeare’s bloodiest political tragedy storms into Canberra with chilling contemporary relevance. Chaika Theatre’s gender-blind production reimagines the assassination of Caesar in modern dress, transforming suits for togas and placing audiences in the heart of Rome’s political machinations.
With Canberra’s corridors of power just beyond the theatre doors, this stripped-back adaptation finds eerie resonance as it explores themes of manipulation, democratic crisis, and the brutal cost of political ambition. Director Caitlin Baker leads a dynamic cast of 11, including Michael Sparks as Caesar and Lachlan Ruffy as the conflicted Brutus, in a production that reflects our turbulent political landscape.
Wednesday 23 July until Saturday 2 August, various times | ACT Hub, Kingston | acthub.com.au
Spider’s Web
Unravel Christie’s secrets in an English country manor where truth becomes lies and lies become truth in this wickedly entertaining mystery.
Spider’s Web reveals what can go wrong in a day without really trying.
Thursday 24 July until Saturday 9 August | Canberra REP Theatre, 3 Repertory Lane, City | canberrarep.org.au
