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SEASON 2026

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY Theatre Works respectfully acknowledges First People’s sovereignty and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and storytelling by Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia. We pay our respects to the many clans and language groups in Victoria, to their elders past and present, and acknowledge the strength and resilience of all Aboriginal peoples. Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.

FOREWORD - DIANNE TOULSON As I write this, my final season foreword for Theatre Works, I am filled with a deep mix of pride, gratitude, and a sense of completion. After eight years as Executive Director, I will be stepping down in July 2026. Announcing this with a long lead time allows for a careful, considered transition (the kind of transition this organisation deserves) and ensures that the complex, multi-faceted work of leading Theatre Works can be handed over with clarity, stability, and care. When I joined Theatre Works, the organisation was facing the very real possibility of closure. What has happened since is nothing short of transformational; not because of any single person, but because of the artists, staff, board members, partners, donors, and audiences who refused to let this place fade. Together, we rebuilt the organisation’s foundations and then pushed far beyond what seemed possible. In 2025, we achieved the highest box office results in Theatre Works’ 45-year history, a more than 50% increase on any previous year. That achievement belongs to every artist who took a creative risk, every staff member who worked beyond their remit, and every audience member who chose to spend an evening with us. The 2026 season represents the pinnacle of this collective effort. It is the most expansive, ambitious and inclusive program I have ever had the privilege to build. Two works that have been personal passion projects for me will tour nationally, taking stories made here in St Kilda to audiences across the country. Three productions will feature on the VCE curriculum, ensuring that students engage with bold, artist-led Australian theatre that speaks to their world. Our stages - both the Acland Street Main Stage and our beloved Explosives Factory will host a program that spans debut creators to master storytellers, reflecting an artistic community that is as wide and diverse as Melbourne itself. But the work has not only been artistic. The physical transformation of our spaces has reshaped who we are. The main venue now has the infrastructure

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

and technical capacity that artists have deserved for decades. And the creation of the Explosives Factory, from a dusty shell into a living, breathing hub for development and performance, remains one of the proudest achievements of my career. Watching artists claim that space, fill it, transform it, and make it their own has been one of the quiet joys of these years. This job has been hard. It has been beautiful. It has broken me open more than once, and it has also rebuilt parts of me I didn’t know were lost. Everything Theatre Works has achieved has been a shared effort between artists, staff, board, partners, donors, and audiences. I carry all of you with me as I step toward the next chapter. For now, though, I leave you with the 2026 season: a celebration, a culmination, and a love letter to what independent theatre can be. Here’s to the future and to the extraordinary artists who will shape it.

TABLE OF CONTENTS 2. FOREWORD - DIANNE TOULSON

27. SAINTING JOAN

4. ABOUT THEATRE WORKS

28. KATZENMUSIK

5. PROGRAMMING + TICKETING + ACCESS

29. THE WOLVES 30. CORPORARE-EVAN TASK IN OUTER SPACE

SEASON 2026

31. FUTURESTAGE

6. BLACKPILL: REDUX

31. SHOWCASES

7. AUSTRALIAN OPEN

32. MASTERPIECES OF THE ORAL AND

8. I’M ONLY DATING THESE MEN BECAUSE MY UNCLE BEQUEATHED ME MONEY AND I NEED TO GET MARRIED BY THE END OF THE YEAR

INTANGIBLE HERITAGE OF HUMANITY 33. WHEN WE DEAD AWAKEN (WE HAVE NEVER LIVED)

8. PETER PAN: A TWINKLE IN TIME

34. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S RESERVOIR DOGS

9. P*RN

35. THE BALLAD OF DAN O’MALLEY: A FOOTBALL

9. CAMPFIRE UNLEASHED

TRAGEDY

10. HE PARTIED LIKE IT’S 1999

36. THE DEPLORABLES

10. DISCO IS DEAD

37. BIG RELIGION

11. DEAD MUM

38. SAVAGES

11. HOMOPHONIC!

39. HOLY FOOL

12. ROBOT SONG

40. LORD OF THE FLIES

13. THE DEADMOUSE AND PEADBRAIN DREAMS

41. THE ETERNALLY HOPEFUL

14. POKÉLESQUE

42. MELBOURNE FRINGE HUB

15. I THOUGHT YOU SAID

42. ABUNDANCE ‘26

16. NOW

43. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

17. THINKING GROUND

44. SMOKE

18. FEMOID.

45. CRAPBOX + EARLY MORNING

19. BEYOND THE NECK

46. TIMON OF ATHENS

20. EIGHTEEN LIVES

47. CAESAR | CAESAR

21. THE EFFECT

48. THE ENGINEER IN THE SNOW: A FANTASTICAL

22. THE IRREDUCIBLE 23. MARA

EROTIC FUGUE FOR PLANET EARTH 49. THE NATIONAL DRAMA SCHOOL

24. RED SKY MORNING 25. BEASTS

50. DONATE + OUR SPONSORS

26. LAZARUS

51. OUR DONORS + TEAM THEATRE WORKS

CONNECT WITH US | SEASON 2026 ONLINE The entire 2026 Theatre Works Season is now live on the Theatre Works Website! On each show page, you can buy tickets, get a deeper insight into each production and meet our artists. On our backtage blog, you can find rehearsal galleries, exclusive interviews, digital show programs and opening night photos. Keep up to date with all the latest news by singing up to our e-newsletter, where you can be the first to hear about artist opportunities, audition call-outs and new show announcements!

www.theatreworks.org.au @THEATREWORKSSTKILDA

#TW2026

COVER PHOTO BY Steven Mitchell Wright

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

ABOUT THEATRE WORKS + THE TW PRECINCT ACLAND STREET THEATRE

The Main Theatre at 14 Acland Street is our flagship performance space — a fully equipped black box with flexible seating and staging that supports ambitious, artist-led work. Home to our major seasons, touring-ready productions, VCE Playlist works, and festival events, it is the creative engine at the heart of our program. With professional technical capacity and a generous stage footprint, the Main Theatre enables bold new Australian writing, reimagined classics, and innovative contemporary performance, positioning Theatre Works as a leading producer/co-producer in the national independent theatre landscape.

EXPLOSIVES FACTORY

Theatre Works is Australia’s home of independent theatre: a creative precinct where artists take risks, new stories are born, and audiences discover the bold voices shaping contemporary culture. For more than 45 years, Theatre Works has supported artists to develop, make, and share ambitious new Australian work. Today, our precinct is stronger and more interconnected than ever. Located in the heart of St Kilda, the Theatre Works Precinct brings together four purposebuilt venues: the Main Theatre, the Explosives Factory, the TWiSK Rehearsal Space, and the Black Box Café & Outdoor Stage. Each space plays a distinct role in the creative lifecycle, providing artists with everything they need to move from idea, to development, to premiere, to tour; all within a single, supportive ecosystem. Our model is simple but rare: we share investment and risk with independent artists. Through coproducing, commissioning, and tailored producing support, we ensure artists are backed by real resources: free development space, professional equipment, rehearsal infrastructure, marketing, ticketing, and technical support. This gives artists the freedom to take creative risks while removing the financial and logistical pressures that so often limit independent work. Every year, more than 600 artists pass through our precinct, developing and presenting work across 50+ productions. Many

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

go on to regional and national touring, VCE Playlist recognition, and major awards. Our audiences are equally diverse: from loyal locals to school groups, visiting families, and new theatre-goers who discover us through the café, bar, or festival partnerships. The precinct allows us to operate at a scale unique in Victoria’s independent sector. The Main Theatre offers a fully equipped black box for bold, ambitious work; the Explosives Factory provides a home for experimentation, residencies, and intimate performance; the TWiSK Rehearsal Space offers year-round free development space; and the Black Box Café & Outdoor Stage connect the precinct to the daily life of St Kilda, welcoming more than 20,000 visitors each year. Together, these venues form a pipeline that supports artists at every stage of their practice while building community, diversifying income, and embedding independent theatre deeply into the cultural fabric of St Kilda. This integrated precinct model development to presentation, bar to black box, artist to audience - is what makes Theatre Works unique. This is the heart of Theatre Works: a place where artists are held, supported, and challenged; where audiences encounter work that surprises and moves them; and where community grows, one story at a time.

Once a fireworks workshop, the Explosives Factory is now a dynamic home for intimate, independent, and experimental performance. The venue supports year-round creative activity, including full seasons, residencies, creative developments and workshops,. Loved for its flexibility and affordability, the space has become essential for emerging artists, regional voices, and risk-taking makers pushing form and content. In 2025 alone, it welcomed over 6,000 audience members and supported 300 artists; a testament to its role as one of Melbourne’s most vital incubators for new work.

TWISK REHEARSAL SPACE

Our new TWiSK Rehearsal Space is a fully accessible, fit-for-purpose facility designed for creation, exploration, and year-round development. With sprung floors, sound insulation, natural light, and adjacent dressing and breakout rooms, it provides artists with a professional environment free from financial barriers. This space is the beating heart of our co-producing model, allowing us to offer free development residencies, long-form creative processes, and accessible opportunities for Deaf and disabled practitioners. The TWiSK Rehearsal Space is where projects begin, transform, and take shape before meeting audiences across the precinct.

BLACKBOX CAFE

The Black Box Café, Bar & Outdoor Stage is the social heart of Theatre Works; a daily community hub where artists, audiences, locals, and visitors intersect. More than a hospitality venue, it strengthens our financial sustainability while fostering informal connection, conversation, and cultural exchange. With over 20,000 visitors each year, the Black Box is a vital entry point into the precinct, offering an accessible, relaxed space to meet, gather, and engage. The outdoor stage extends our programming into the open air, hosting performances, talks, and community events that activate the neighbourhood.

OUR PROGRAMMING MODEL + TICKETING Unlike traditional venue-hire models, we co-produce, commission, and share risk with independent artists. We provide tailored support across producing, marketing, publicity, and production, and we redefine success on the artist’s own terms. OUR VISION is to support independent theatre makers and organisations to develop and sustain viable creative practices, pathways, and careers, and to create ambitious and urgent theatre that reflects and reimagines contemporary Australia. OUR PURPOSE is realised through our co-producing model: we provide the space, support, and shared

investment for independent artists to take risks, grow careers, and connect with diverse audiences. This approach ensures that artists define success on their own terms, while audiences engage with a program that reflects the breadth and vitality of contemporary performance. OUR VALUES centre independence, care, and community. We invest in artists over the long term, reduce barriers to risk-taking, and provide pathways that strengthen the independent sector while connecting artists, audiences, and partners in meaningful and lasting ways.

THE PROGRAMMING STREAMS BY THEATRE WORKS

FRESH WORKS

Shows in the BY THEATRE WORKS stream are produced and presented by Theatre Works in-house. Highest level of producing, marketing, technical, and financial support. Targets ambitious, high-profile works that align strongly with TW’s values.

Our FRESH WORKS program is an entry point to our WITH THEATRE WORKS program, allowing artists to pursue exciting debut work and bold new ideas while assuming less risk. These works are co-produced and co-presented with Theatre Works.

TICKET PRICES:

$55 Full $48 Concession $40 Preview

$38 Full $30 Concession $28 Preview

WITH THEATRE WORKS

festival WORKS

Shows in the WITH THEATRE WORKS stream align strongly our values and missions - these works we coproduce and co-present with independent artists and/or companies. Projects within this stream receive significant producing, marketing, PR and production support in addition to free use of the venue and a generous box office split.

Theatre Works has been long established as the southside festival hub in Melbourne. During festival time our spaces are activated with stacked programming allowing audience to see multiple shows in an evening and make a night out of it.

TICKET PRICES:

TICKET PRICES: $35 Full $28 Concession

$48 Full $38 Concession $30 Preview

ACCESS In 2026, we are continuing to build on initiatives introduced in 2024 and 2025, prioritising accessibility in everything we do. Theatre Works has identified areas for improvement, ensuring these changes come at no additional cost to participating companies or artists.

before its Theatre Works season. This information will be prominently available on our website. Visit the Theatre Works Accessibility Page via the QR Code below to learn more.

We are committed to supporting programmed artists in incorporating accessible practices throughout their work, from development to closing night. Audiences will have clear information about accessible options for each show at least eight weeks

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

with THEATRE WORKS

BLACKPILL: REDUX BY PARACOSM

Did you think we were done with you, Big Dogs? After a record-breaking sold-out season at Explosives Factory in 2025, the critical smash-hit BLACKPILL. storms back to open the Theatre Works 2026 season this January.

7 - 17 JAN THEATRE WORKS CREATED AND DIRECTED BY Chris Patrick Hansen MOVEMENT DIRECTOR Sian Quinn Dowler

As online-based misogynistic hate communities grow both in size and vitriol, embittered members are designing increasingly effective ways to recruit and radicalise young boys behind the protection of chilling anonymity.

PRODUCTION MANAGER Tijen Irmak

Dubbed “A highly accomplished show in all areas”, “A phenomenally well developed and executed piece of theatre” and “a dynamic, thoughtful, throbbing contribution to an urgent conversation” in its first run, BLACKPILL: REDUX has reloaded BLACKPILL. bigger, bolder and better than ever before.

VISION + LIGHTING DESIGNER Jacques Cooney Adlard

SET DESIGNER Joshua McNeill

DRAMATURGY Nick Jay Rosa Ablett-Johnstone full credits on the theatre works website

PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

BY THEATRE WORKS

Australian open BY ANGUS CAMERON

21 – 31 Jan THEATRE WORKS

Serving scandal, smashing egos and dripping sweat. AUSTRALIAN OPEN is the fiercest game in town.

WRITTEN BY Angus Cameron

It’s the final set. The stakes are high. Hearts are pounding harder than the serves. Ambition collides with desire in this razor-sharp queer comedy where love, reputation and pride are all on the line.

DIRECTED BY Riley Spadaro

Fast, funny and deliciously tense, AUSTRALIAN OPEN dives headfirst into the chaos of competition and the messiness of human connection. Expect volleys of biting wit, dazzling performances and plenty of sweat-soaked drama, all played out under the glare of the world’s brightest spotlight.

CAST Jane Montgomery Griffiths Eddie Orton Sebastian Li Alec Gilbert Melissa Kahraman PRODUCED BY Theatre Works

PHOTO BY Tom Noble

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

I’m only dating these men because my uncle bequeathed me money and I need to get married by the end of the year A NEW MUSICAL BY LUKE COSTABILE AND TRENT CLIFFE

19 - 23 Jan | EXPLOSIVES FACTORY A wild, heartfelt new musical comedy about one man’s race to find true love - or at least a legal spouse - before his eccentric criminal uncle ruins his life. In this two man show, Larry learns he’s inherited $946,000; but only if he’s married to the love of his life within a year. One year to find a partner or his life as he knows it will be undone. CREATED BY Trent Cliffe Luke Costabile Dominic Mulligan PHOTO BY Tom Noble

PETERPAN: A Twinkle In Time BY DEAN ROBINSON

20 - 24 Jan | EXPLOSIVES FACTORY We all know Peter Pan was the original Twink, but is he still a Twink when the boy who won’t grow up, grows up? Peter Pan has left Neverland and began to finally grow up, but in this world of social media, online dating and beauty standards, how will he fit in? PETER PAN: A TWINKLE IN TIME follows the character we know and love in a new context, navigating the world of today, in a body that’s a little older than he is used to. This show has comedy, music and more than one fairy. So grab your favourite Twinkerbell and come along on a ride to Neverland! WRITER AND PERFORMER Dean Robinson ASSOCIATE ARTIST Megan Scolyer-Gray

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

P*RN

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

BY KEELAN ARMSTRONG

27 - 31 jan | explosives factory Turn off the lights, lock the door and get ready to delete your search history because P*RN is about to hit the stage.

Porn is embedded in our society. It’s scandalous, shameful but also very gay. P*RN takes this taboo topic and views it through a queer lens. From the rise of Pornhub to the WRITTEN BY ANGUS CAMERON | DIRECTED BY RILEY SPARDO queer panic we feel when two women on TV might kiss. This dark comedy will make you blush, cringe and question your relationship with adult industry. DIRECTOR Keelan Armstrong STAGE MANAGER/ DESIGNER Kirsten Amedeo LIGHTING DESIGNER Finnegan Comte - Harvey

PERFORMERS Cassidy Capraro Francine Miranda Kaia Reyes Kit Baker Rory O’brien

PHOTO BY Tom Noble

CAMPFIRE UNLEASHED PRESENTED BY SPLIT FOCUS

29 - 31 JAN | THEATRE WORKS Two guys, a hike in the outback, a campsite and a strange creature chasing them... what could go wrong? Campfire Unleashed is a fun, cheekily provocative, and entertaining 60-minute physical theatre and circus performance with overtones of horror, odes to slapstick, and homage to comedy.

CAST Louis Green Griffin Hooper Naz Turner CO-DIRECTED BY Samuel Boyd Alonso Pineda

SET AND COSTUME BY Savanna Wegman LIGHTING BY Spencer Herd

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

He Partied Like It’s 1999 BY GARY HELMORE

27 - 31 Jan | EXPLOSIVES FACTORY HE PARTIED LIKE IT’S 1999 is a darkly funny, bittersweet dive into queer love, identity, and reinvention on the brink of Y2K. In late ‘90s Melbourne, the glitter sticks, the past won’t stay buried, and the world might just end - but Angela, a drag oracle, is here to pour the wine and read your aura. As midnight nears, former lovers Reg and Rose spiral through betrayal, nostalgia, and new connections — he with a younger lover, a walking thirst-trap and she with a genderbending Goth archivist. A story of heartbreak, resistance, and the glorious, glittery mess of becoming. WRITER Gary Helmore DIRECTOR Andrew Blogg PRODUCTION MANAGER Gemma Valastro

CAST Rachel Edmonds Janine McGrath Anuj Mehra Tahlia Moffatt Stephen Najera Karlis Zaid

LIGHT/SOUND DESIGN + TECH John Jenkin Gratefully supported by the City of Port Phillip

DISCO IS DEAD! BY MILLIE CRAVEN AND CASSIDY COGIN

3 - 7 FEB | EXPLOSIVES FACTORY Freddy and the Four, the 70’s biggest disco boyband have just released their brand new album. Little do they know the hell they unleashed along with it. Camp, comedic and a little bit crass, DISCO IS DEAD will leave you hungry for the uprising of disco’s true power. PRESENTED BY Fruitcake Productions WRITTEN BY Millie Craven Cassidy Cogin DIRECTED BY Cassidy Cogin

PHOTO BY Tom Noble

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

PRODUCER Chris Patrick Hansen

DEAD MUM

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

BY JACK FRANCIS WEST

3 - 7 FEB | EXPLOSIVES FACTORY

Jack’s mum is dead. This show is about her… it’s also about you. DEAD MUM is a cabaret about death and grief, written by Jack Francis West in 2021 after losing their mum to liver cancer.

WRITTEN BY ANGUS CAMERON DIRECTED BY RILEYand SPARDO Part | eulogy, part stand-up, 100% emotional self-

flagellation, the show is raw, funny, and stupidly honest. Death is the most universal human experience. So why don’t we talk about it? Hey, why don’t we sing about it?! WRITER/PERFORMER Jack Francis West

DRUMMER Eve Pilkington

DIRECTOR Isabella Martin

CELLIST / BASSIST Lucy Cleminson

PRODUCER Adam Sarkin

PIANIST Teige Cordiner

MUSIC DIRECTOR/GUITARIST Riley Richardson

HOMOPHONIC! PRESENTED BY THE HOMOPHONIC! CHAMBER ENSEMBLE

6 - 7 FEB | THEATRE WORKS Classical Music... but gayer HOMOPHONIC! is bringing the disco ball to the concert hall and inviting you to experience the entrancing sound world of todays LGBTIQ+ composers. Performed by the Homophonic! Chamber Ensemble and 6 voices of The Consort of Melbourne. Featuring the world premiere of Midsumma Presents: The Homophonic! Pride Prize performed by Homophonic! Artistic Director and double bassist Miranda Hill, works for voices and strings telling the stories of LGBTIQ+ seniors, and so much more. ARTISTIC DIRECTION AND MC Miranda Hill

PHOTO BY Tom Noble THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

with THEATRE WORKS

ROBOT SONG BY JOLYON JAMES

“Miss Cummings, if we’re all different, doesn’t that kind of make us all the same?”- Juniper May, Robot Song When eleven-year-old Juniper May receives a petition signed by her entire class stating that she is ‘the most hated person in the school’ her life is thrown into complete meltdown. After exhausting all other avenues her parents’ resort to the only thing they have left, a giant singing robot. Based on a true story, ROBOT SONG illustrates the profound, transformative nature of creativity that when combined with unconditional love, becomes an unstoppable force. FEATURED ON THE 2026 VCE DRAMA PLAYLIST

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

12 - 21 FEB THEATRE WORKS WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY Jolyon James PRODUCED BY NCM COMPOSER Nate Gilkes PERFORMERS Adeline Hunter Phillip McInnes MUSICIAN Michelle Doyle STAGE MANAGER Stephanie Young TECHNICIAN Justin Gardam

FRESH WORKS

THE Deadmouse and Peabrain Dreams BY ALANA LOUISE

Two sisters. One dead-end town. And a dream big enough to bury them. Meet Shannon and Jodi – sisters, funeral directors and experts at burying shit. Stuck in Dumbfordton, a small town with a population of 338 and dropping, they share an all-consuming mission: to win The X-Factor. Buried in local funerals, family drama and each other’s hopes and fears, their story explores the lengths we’ll go to escape small-town life — and what happens when our dreams crash headlong into reality.

11 - 21 FEB explosives factory ACTOR AND WRITER Alana Louise PRODUCER Nina Hopley CAST Sarah Palmieri Joe Kenny Jason Schwab STAGE MANAGER Meg Richardson SOUND DESIGN Michael Hart full credits on the theatre works website

PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

with THEATRE WORKS

Pokélesque BY ROSIE ROULETTE

It’s a play. It’s a Burlesque show. It’s Drag. It’s POKÉLESQUE! 4 Actors, 2 Drag Artists and a pocket full of Burlesque creatures all come together for a night of scripted (and a little bit of unscripted) comedy! This choose-your-own adventure style show follows a trainer at the start of their journey. As the audience it’s up to you to help them make some important decisions. You will face many challenges and many scantily clad ‘monsters’ together. Just make sure to watch out for your rival! POKÉLESQUE is a silly, naughty, campy show not to be missed by any pop culture fan!

PHOTO BY Three Fates Media

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

24 - 28 FEB THEATRE WORKS WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER Rosie Roulette PRODUCTION MANAGER Tea Vega MAIN CAST Lucy May Knight Adam White Darin Casler Sy Quinn Izzy Inyette Theresa Problem + Various Burlesque and Drag performers on a rotating basis

PRESENTED BY GEEK OUT! Nerdlesque

FRESH WORKS

I Thought You Said BY BRONTE LEMAIRE

It’s like every other nightshift for Sam and Frankie. They clock in, stock up the chips, steal some for themselves, bet on whether they’ll get one (or even two!) customers, and ignore the dying star outside. Everyone’s gotten used to it by now, one even fell through a neighbour’s shed the other day. The world’s going to end. Probably. But that’s not their fault. I THOUGHT YOU SAID dives into the roadblocks of engaging with activism when comfort and convenience are prioritised over doing the right thing. Tip Toe Theatre’s debut play leaves no issue unturned or hypocrisy unquestioned.

25 FEB - 7 mar explosives factory WRITER/DIRECTOR Bronte Lemaire PRODUCER Jackson Moore ASSISTANT DIRECTOR Jacinta Klassen SOUND DESIGNER Jakob Schuster LIGHTING DESIGNER Allira Smith PRESENTED BY Tip Toe Theatre

PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

FRESH WORKS

NOW

BY HELENE TARDIF

A 60 minutes DRAMEDY where you will travel in VIRTUAL REALITY where MAGIC meets FAKE COMEDY. X is an ordinary mum of a non ordinary human. She will try her best to keep her family together but when the One creates the NOW world to escape reality, it will lead him to steal his dad’s job, find love and lose his mum. While the play explores the wonders of virtual reality, it highlights the inter generational conflict caused by the collapse of an old world, replaced by a new one.

25 FEB - 7 mar explosives factory CAST Andrew Drava Georgina Scott Darren Mort Helene Tardif DIRECTOR Marion Arditti SET & COSTUME DESIGNER Silvia Shao LIGHTS Tomas Gerasimidis SCORE Damian Pitcon

PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

with THEATRE WORKS

THINKING GROUND PRESENTED BY THE VOICE IN MY HANDS

THINKING GROUND is a space for artists to gather, connect, and spend time collectively unpacking our role in responding to current and future social, environmental and political need. This work is grounded in a fundamental belief in our power as a community, and our capacity to work together to model new ways of living, gathering and working. Hosted weekly at Theatre Works by VIMH, it will build understanding of the role of civic action in creative practice, empowering independent artists to centre the needs of their communities when creating new work.

27 FEB - 27 MAR THEATRE WORKS HOSTED BY The Voice In My Hands

This project is proudly supported by the City of Port Phillip Cultural Development Fund.

For more information about the content and structure of these sessions, please visit thevoiceinmyhands.com. Free to attend, session registration will open in early February 2026.

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

FRESH WORKS

FEMOID. BY IRIS WARREN

“We were laughing, we were joking, we were girls.” FEMOID. is a critical, in-yer-face feminist work that exposes the dark underbelly of Incel culture by using raw verbatim text from forums, immersive projections, and bold theatricality. It reveals how online misogyny infiltrates real life as we follow the everyday life of three spirited teenage girls: Rory, Olive and Piper. Everyday sexism escalates into something more sinister; from microaggressions to violent ideology, FEMOID. confronts digital extremism and asks: what happens when girls are caught in the crossfire of a misogynistic world determined to dehumanize them?

PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

11 - 21 mar explosives factory DIRECTOR Izabella Day WRITER/PERFORMER Iris Warren DESIGNER/PERFORMER Roisin Wallace-Nash PERFORMER Natasha Pearson PRESENTED BY Vixen Theatre Company

BY THEATRE WORKS

BEYOND THE NECK BY TOM HOLLOWAY

A mother. A teenager. A tour guide. A man who can’t outrun the past. Their lives don’t intersect... until they do, in the aftershock of one day Australia won’t forget. Tom Holloway’s BEYOND THE NECK is a profoundly compassionate portrait of a community living with loss. Four individual stories braid together alongside a chorus that holds the space; observing, echoing and gently urging the characters forward. Humour and care thread through the piece, allowing light to enter even as it looks unflinchingly at trauma. Directed by Suzanne Chaundy, this new Theatre Works production honours the delicacy and daring of Holloway’s writing; clear, unsentimental and luminously humane.

18 Mar - 4 APR THEATRE WORKS WRITTEN BY Tom Holloway DIRECTED BY Suzanne Chaundy PERFORMED BY Francis Greenslade Emmaline Carroll Southwell Freddy Collyer Cassidy Dunn SET & COSTUME DESIGN BY Emma Ashton PRODUCED BY Theatre Works

PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

FRESH WORKS

EIGHTEEN LIVES BY ZONGXI LI

Three actors. Eighteen lifetimes. One unfinished conversation. A comedy about meeting the same hearts again and again. (EIGHTEEN LIVES) is a comedy about the people we keep meeting, again and again. Three performers journey through six eras of Chinese history, letting past and present lives unfold before the audience’s eyes. A story of almosts and again-and-agains; funny, intimate and quietly devastating. Performed in Chinese and English. No prior knowledge of Chinese history required - just an open heart.

PHOTO BY Do Theatre

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

25 mar - 4 aPR explosives factory CREATED BY Fini Liu Sally Chen Yuchen Yao Zena Wang Yuan Lu Tony Zhang Yufan Chen Alex Zhou Jack Yu Sinya Li Yuqing Xia Jiamuzi Gao

with THEATRE WORKS

The Effect BY LUCY PREBBLE

Falling in love was never part of the experiment. In THE EFFECT by Lucy Prebble, two young volunteers enter a clinical drug trial and find themselves swept into an intense, undeniable attraction. But as the chemicals kick in, the line between what feels real and what could be a side effect blurs fast. Vibrant, funny, and high-voltage, this production dives into the euphoria of new connection and the chaos that comes with it. Can you ever separate the mind from the heart… or is it all just dopamine?

8 - 18 APR THEATRE WORKS DIRECTOR Alonso Pineda ACTORS Jessica Martin Philip Hayden Emma Choy PRODUCER Ryan Stewart PRESENTED BY Key Conspirators

PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

FRESH WORKS

The Irreducible DEVISED BY COHAN AND COLLABORATORS

Step into a vivid, otherworldly environment where surfaces ooze, webs breathe and the human shifts between forms. THE IRREDUCIBLE is a visceral performance exploring ‘trans’formation, symbiosis, and the porous boundary between the body, identity and the world around us. With striking visuals, unsettling choreography, and a surreal soundscape, this piece invites audiences to witness an eerie cycle of emergence, decay, and renewal where nothing is static, and even the space itself seems sentient.

8 - 25 APR explosives factory LEAD CREATIVE / PERFORMER Cohan CREATIVE PRODUCER / DRAMATURG Kat Glass PROJECTION DESIGN Mia Holton COMPOSER Di Drew MARKETING LEAD Angelina Lee ASSISTANT STAGE MANAGER Fia Haugh

PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

BY THEATRE WORKS

MARA

BY HANNA PYLIOTIS MARA is a darkly compelling reimagining of the Cinderella story – told from the perspective of the stepmother. Visually rich and fiercely inventive, the work unfolds in a black-box world where a single actor and live musician conjure an entire collapsing universe. Chairs become horses. Golden shoes speak. Paper births babies. Ten characters – children, parents, lovers, ghosts – emerge through voice, movement, puppetry, object transformation, and eight original songs. This is not a fairytale... it’s a reckoning. Set in a crumbling home haunted by broken promises, MARA explores the emotional terrain of blended families: grief, belonging, identity, and the complex bonds between parents and children. MARA is a Brechtian folktale. A collision of yearning, memory, music and myth and unlike any Cinderella you’ve ever seen.

22 APR - 2 may THEATRE WORKS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR/ SET DESIGNER Megan Jones ACTOR/SINGER Aurora Kurth MUSICIAN/ACTOR/ SOUND DESIGNER Ania Reynolds PRODUCED BY Theatre Works Machination Theatre Ensemble

FEATURED ON THE 2026 VCE DRAMA PLAYLIST PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

BY THEATRE WORKS

RED SKY MORNING BY TOM HOLLOWAY

A powerful and poetic story about family, silence, and finding hope in the everyday.

DIRECTED BY Lyall Brooks

Life in the country can be beautiful and brutally honest. In RED SKY MORNING, we meet a woman, a man, and a girl who live under the same roof but have slowly drifted apart. Over the course of one day, their stories unfold in a series of poetic monologues that reveal love, regret, and the quiet hope that things might get better.

CAST Alpha Kargo Izabella Day

Tom Holloway’s award-winning script captures the heart of regional Australia: the early mornings, the long silences, the unspoken care that holds families together. With sharp wit and tender honesty, it reflects the challenges and strength of small-town life, where connection is both fragile and essential. Directed by Lyall Brooks, RED SKY MORNING is a hauntingly beautiful Australian story that will stay with you; because it feels like home. PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

6 - 16 may THEATRE WORKS

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

CREATIVES Sidney Younger Jack Burmeister Harry Gill PRODUCED BY Theatre Works

WITH THEATRE WORKS

BEASTS BY ROBERT LEWIS

6 - 16 may explosives factory

A deranged farce where fragile egos descend into a hellish manosphere wrapped in physical theatre and poetic prose.

DIRECTOR Callum Bodman

A group of dejected young men turn to the dark corners of the internet to restore their self-imposed “virtue”, striking a Faustian deal with the gruesome personification of masculinity: Alpha, to give them back the world they believe they are owed.

WRITER Robert Lewis

A fast paced comedic horror show of freakish satire and irreverent blasphemy, BEASTS is a sigh, a laugh and a shriek all in a whirlwind of highly stylised physical theatre and sharp iambic pentameter. Striking looks and stirring performances from a talented cast of transformative and talented young women, Beasts will give equal parts catharsis and call to action for the state of our men.

PRODUCTION DESIGN Georgia Mason MARKETING Annaliese Cartwright CAST Annaliese Cartwright Chloe McKeon Geraldine Cutler Lily Infantino

PHOTO BY Steven Mitchell Wright

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

BY THEATRE WORKS

LAZARUS BY JOHN HARDING

Born in a Salvation Army babies’ home in 1955. Taken from his mother. Returned at fifteen. Became a leader, a fighter, an Elder; a voice for those who were silenced. LAZARUS is the extraordinary true story of Larry Walsh (Taungurung Elder, activist and storyteller) brought to life in a heartfelt and vital story that speaks to the soul of this country. Woven from interviews with Larry himself, this dynamic production moves through decades of pain and triumph, laughter and resistance, as one man rises from the ashes of injustice to reclaim his story and his spirit. Rich with live music, evocative imagery and over 20 characters, and performed by an exceptional cast, LAZARUS is a powerful celebration of culture, resilience and the unbreakable ties between mother and child, community and Country.

FEATURED ON THE 2026 VCE DRAMA PLAYLIST 26

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

20 may - 6 jun THEATRE WORKS WRITTEN BY John Harding DIRECTED BY Kamarra Bell Wykes VIDEOGRAPHY Cobie Orger COMPOSER Todd Bennett SET DESIGN Justin Green Originally produced by Yirramboi Festival and John Harding Enterprises

with THEATRE WORKS

SAINTING JOAN BY ABIGAIL BANISTER-JONES

Hear the voices and feel the fire in this new musical You are cordially invited to the canonisation of Joan of Arc. Nearly five hundred years after the English burned her at the stake, the French hero is getting officially recognised. It has been a long time coming, and the ghosts at the back of the cathedral all want to have their say on the matter. Jealous kings and corrupt judges play devils advocate to Joan’s legacy, while the spirits of her friends and allies remember her courage, impact, and general bad-assery.

20 - 30 may explosives factory WRITTEN BY Abigail Banister-Jones

SAINTING JOAN is a historic rock musical that blends camp and catholic imagery to tell the life story and legacy of the icon Joan of Arc.

PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

FRESH WORKS

Katzenmusik BY TOM FOWLER

It’s Dionysus meets the housing crisis! From the company that brought you BLACKPILL., Paracosm has reimagined KATZENMUSIK into an explosive new piece of radical punk-rock political theatre bound to put the metaphorical middle finger to your landlord this June. A viral video, a company capitalising on fear, prank calls, class divide and a cat memorial. The increasing income gap between rich and poor has pushed the residents of Burnside Town to breaking point. Rent increase? Follow the call of the Katzenmusik. Urgent repairs ignored? Follow the call of the Katzenmusik. Bond stolen? Follow the call of the Katzenmusik.

PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

3 - 13 Jun explosives factory WRITTEN BY Tom Fowler DIRECTED BY Chris Patrick Hansen LIGHTING & VISION DESIGN BY Jacques Cooney Adlard SOUND DESIGN BY Paracosm PRESENTED BY Paracosm

BY THEATRE WORKS

THE WOLVES BY SARAH DELAPPE

Left quad. Right quad. Lunge. A girls indoor soccer team warms up. From the safety of their suburban stretch circle, the team navigates big questions and wages tiny battles with all the vim and vigor of a pack of adolescent warriors. A portrait of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for nine American girls who just want to score some goals. THE WOLVES was a finalist for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, received the American Playwriting Foundation’s inaugural Relentless Award, and was a finalist for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize and the Yale Drama Series Prize.

10 - 20 JUNE THEATRE WORKS DIRECTED BY Belle Hansen LIGHTING DESIGN BY Sidney Younger SOUND DESIGN & COMPOSITION BY Jack Burmeister PRESENTED BY Theatre Works

“The scary, exhilarating brightness of raw adolescence emanates from every scene of this uncannily assured first play by Sarah DeLappe.” - The New York Times PHOTO BY Steven Mitchell Wright

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

with THEATRE WORKS

Corporare

Evan Task in Outer Space BY MATTHEW CROSBY

Created and performed by Matthew Crosby, CORPORARE presents a gorgeously low horror sci-fi about a tech-bro and his rocket adrift in Martian dreams. CORPORARE is a kabarett extremis revealing the invisible corporate body in its colonising madness. “Hidden behind my veil, I am a corporate fiction… neither culpable nor accessible. Space though, is a storied frontier of delusions. It is a silent and cold vacuum where the loudest must finally listen. It is the medium in which my body forms: corporare! Where I am punished most horribly. Where my skin lets in the red lamé art-worms of Mars. Come witness my final reckoning. Come! Formare corpus!”

PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

17 - 27 JUNE explosives factory DIRECTOR Tessa Marie Luminati PRODUCER Diego Fajardo PRODUCER ASSISTANT Angelique Zhou PRESENTED BY The Thursday Group Development of Corporare was facilitated by the generous support of The City of Melbourne.

FUTURESTAGE

A Festival of Theatre and Ideas 29 JUN - 12 JUL | EXPLOSIVES FACTORY 6 - 12 JUL | THEATRE WORKS FUTURESTAGE is a five-day national gathering for Australia’s independent theatre makers; a space to reflect, connect and decide what comes next. Hosted by Theatre Works, the festival will bring artists, producers and independent companies together for a week of skill sharing, creative exchange and sector-wide collaboration. Through hands-on labs, workshops, keynotes, panels and performances, participants will explore artistic sustainability, national touring, digital futures, funding models, evolving audiences and contemporary approaches to training and creation. FUTURESTAGE is supported by the City of Port Phillip

IMAGE Director’s Lab (2016)

SHOWCASES 13 - 18 JUL | THEATRE WORKS 1 - 13 DEC | EXPLOSIVES FACTORY

As part of Theatre Works’ commitment to artist development, this two-week showcase celebrates new Australian cabarets and musicals. From intimate readings to fully staged numbers, this public event offers creators the chance to present their work and engage with feedback. Highlighting the diversity and innovation of Australia’s musical theatre landscape, the showcase connects artists, industry professionals, and audiences. With an emphasis on collaboration and growth, Theatre Works champions emerging and established voices in Australian storytelling. Callouts for musicals open early 2026

IMAGE Abundance 2025 PHOTO BY Andrew Bott

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

BY THEATRE WORKS

MASTERPIECES of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity BY HEATHER MCDONALD

Inside a war-ravaged museum, now a makeshift prison, three women are forced together: a soldier shaped by violence, a nurse guarding her secrets, and an art restorer fighting to protect what little beauty remains.

WRITTEN BY Heather McDonald

As the walls close in, each must confront the cost of survival, the power of truth, and the fragility of humanity itself.

PRODUCED BY Theatre Works

MASTERPIECES OF THE ORAL AND INTANGIBLE HERITAGE OF HUMANITY is a tense, poetic and unflinching examination of what endures when everything else is lost: art, faith, compassion, and the will to hope. In a world once again torn by conflict and division, this story feels urgently of our time. It asks: when history is erased, who will remember what made us human?

22 JUL - 1 AUG THEATRE WORKS

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

DIRECTED BY Nadia Tass

with THEATRE WORKS

When We Dead Awaken (WE HAVE NEVER LIVED) BY DOPPELGÄNGSTER It ends in an avalanche (everyone is going to die in the avalanche). Welcome to Resurrection Day Mountain Resort. The thawing permafrost is sending bodies down the mountainside. In 1350 more than 60% of Norway’s population died of the Black Plague. They’re back. Enjoy your stay.

22 JUL - 8 AUG explosives factory CREATED BY Tobias Manderson-Galvin Kerith Manderson-Galvin Dr Tom Payne Pat Fielding Aquilla Sorensen Michelle Myers Chelsea Hickman

Ibsen’s final and least liked play (‘When We Dead Awaken’, 1899) didn’t have a mountain troll, a ghost an actual ghost, or a nun with a shotgun. Whether it was missing them or not, now it does. It’s also missing most of the play. UK/Australian ‘Theatrical saboteurs’ (The Age) Doppelgangster performance company return to Theatre Works for more ‘postmodern genius’ (Timeout) and may ‘god help us’ (Stage Noise).” PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

with THEATRE WORKS

William Shakespeare’s Reservoir Dogs BY STEVEN HOPLEY

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S RESERVOIR DOGS brings together the iconic characters and dialogue from Shakespeare’s plays with the gritty underworld of Quentin Tarantino’s film.

PRODUCERS The Ghostlight League (Rob Lloyd & Cassandra Hart)

Telling the tale of six strangers brought together to commit a daring crime...plunder a coach of precious jewels; things go awry, and those who remain must fight to uncover who amongst their company is a rat.

DIRECTOR Rob Lloyd

With suits & ties replaced by dublets, semi-automatic pistols with swords and a thumping soundtrack of 70s hits turned Bardcore by a live band; thou must not miss this unforgettable experience that blends tragedy, comedy, and a dose of Tarantino’s signature flare and Shakespeare’s iconic style. Cry Havoc! And Let Slip the (Reservoir) Dogs of War. PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

5 - 15 AUG THEATRE WORKS

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

WRITER Steven Hopley MUSICAL DIRECTOR Chloe Towan

with THEATRE WORKS

The Ballad of Dan O’Malley A FOOTBALL TRAGEDY BY PAUL MITCHELL

Things get dirty on and off the field when a grass roots coach faces corporate greed and corruption. THE BALLAD OF DAN O’MALLEY: A FOOTBALL TRAGEDY is based on the true story of AFL club Melbourne’s 2009 ‘tanking saga’.

12 - 22 AUG explosives factory WRITER + CO-PRODUCER Paul Mitchell PRODUCER Anton Berezin DIRECTOR Theresa Borg

Bright-eyed Dan O’Malley takes the reins as coach of the Central Leopards in 2008. But the club is bottoming out financially and on-field – so administrators call for desperate and shady measures to win future draft picks. O’Malley wants to do the best by the club – and the young men he leads – so the club’s demands tear at his soul.

ATTACHED CAST Justin Bell Emma Choy Phillip Hayden Miles Paras Ryland Mitchell Paul Mitchell

When the truth comes out – and the future of the game is threatened – there’s only one scapegoat in The League’s sights.

PRESENTED BY Monstrous Theatre

PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

with THEATRE WORKS

The Deplorables BY CHRISTINE DAVEY

If they’re playing cricket, who is making the sandwiches? Written by Christine Davey and presented by award-winning regional theatre company – Skin of our Teeth Productions – this joyous, musical explores the first women’s cricket match in the country and what it means for all of us. A sharp, funny, and deeply human new work, THE DEPLORABLES turns the spotlight onto quiet rebellions, everyday courage, and the unexpected power of women who decide enough is enough. Blending physical theatre, striking choral movement, this is a tale of extraordinary women doing extraordinary things and the extremely ordinary men who tried to stop them.

19 - 29 AUG THEATRE WORKS WRITER/DIRECTOR Christine Davey COMPOSER/ CHOREOGRAPHER Tess Parker CAST Tess Parker Mary Steuten Marita Williams Seaton Madeleine Potter Danae Reid Graci Lynch Marie-Claire Tchernomoroff Liana Emmerson Chanda Anderson Prior Lauren Atkin Aeonie Ostik Smith PRESENTED BY Skin of our Teeth Productions

PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

FRESH WORKS

Big Religion BY MADDI FORMOSA

School is hell and then you die. Alternatively, an Angel crash lands on earth and annunciates you with the second coming of Christ. Either option is fine. Toeing the line between sin and salvation, school girl Jan is desperate to stand out and make her mark, while her best friend Dav tries her best to fly under the radar. All changes however when an Angel falls to earth in front of them and annunciates Jan as the next Virgin Mary. Meanwhile, the Angel pieces together their memories, and finds the story of two celestial coworkers as they attempt to find meaning in the depths of their divine drudgery.

26 AUG - 5 SEP explosives factory PLAYWRIGHT & DIRECTOR Maddi Formosa PRODUCER Chris Patrick Hansen DRAMATURG Eleanor Golding PRESENTED BY Fruitcake Productions

BIG RELIGION is a spirited exploration of endurance beneath the weight of the Almighty…or whatever we are told the Almighty is. PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

by THEATRE WORKS

SAVAGES BY PATRICIA CORNELIUS

Four friends. One holiday of a lifetime. What begins as celebration spirals into chaos; laughter turns to violence, loyalty twists into cruelty, and the pack takes control. SAVAGES by the legendary Patricia Cornelius is a bold, brutally honest descent into the dark heart of masculinity and mateship gone wrong. Under the electric direction of Kitan Petkovski (The Inheritance, Things I Know to be True), four women embody the roles of “ordinary Aussie blokes,” subverting gender norms and exposing the toxic undercurrent of power and privilege. Unflinching, physical, and politically fierce, SAVAGES crashes through the surface of good times to reveal what festers beneath. Welcome aboard! PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

2 - 12 SEP THEATRE WORKS WRITTEN BY Patricia Cornelius DIRECTED BY Kitan Petkovski SET + COSTUMES DESIGN BY Bethany J Fellows

with THEATRE WORKS

HOLY FOOL

9 - 19 SEP

BY FABIO MOTTA

explosives factory

A spiritual physical-comedy about a Fool who ended up becoming a Saint.

CREATED AND PERFORMED BY Fabio Motta

In 2026, chaos reigns! Battles boom, pockets deepen, and Mother Nature feels forgotten. Blending physical comedy, spiritual longing, and joyful absurdity, HOLY FOOL invokes the legendary tale of Italy’s Saint Francis of Assisi to conjure the greatest of all miracles… A sacred comic journey toward meaning, compassion, and the courage to be unapologetically human.

SOUND DESIGN Jack Burmeister

This project was creatively supported by Emma Gough, David Bridel, Giovanni Fusetti (devising consultant), Zack Fine, James Vinson, Melbourne Actors Guild, La Mama Theatre (Exploration season in 2024), Jaime Dorner, Elizabeth Davie, Paul Bourke, Zya Kane, Anna Thomson and Tim Sneddon.

PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

BY THEATRE WORKS

WILLIAM GOLDING’S

LORD OF THE FLIES ADAPTED FOR THE STAGE BY NIGEL WILLIAMS

No adults. No rules. No way home. A group of boys crash onto an island and begin, with youthful optimism, to create order amidst the chaos. But order is fragile. What begins as hope quickly spirals into rivalry, fear and the pull of power. Directed by award-winning director Steven Mitchell Wright, this fresh, highly physical staging of Nigel Williams’ adaptation of Lord of the Flies brings William Golding’s classic to life for a new generation. Thrilling, bold and deeply human, it asks us what happens when leadership slips into tyranny, fears birth myths, and the line between civilisation and brutality dissolves underfoot.

PHOTO BY Steven Mitchell Wright

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

16 SEP - 2 oct THEATRE WORKS DIRECTED BY Steven Mitchell Wright

fresh WORKS

THE Eternally Hopeful BY ISABELLE DAVIS

“While there’s life, there’s hope.” - Cicero. THE ETERNALLY HOPEFUL either exposes the hidden optimist in each of us or truly affirms our pessimism. We could all use hope right now, could we not? Or is hope naivety setting us up for failure? Davis’ offering is that hope is innate, and in presenting stories with varying degrees of hope she poses a challenge: Was Cicero right, that while there is life, there is hope? Is it okay to feel hopeful when the world is on fire? Is that perhaps then why we must?”

22 - 27 SEP explosives factory WRITER Isabelle Davis DIRECTOR Daniele Buatti PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Anita Mei La Terra

PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

MELBOURNE FRINGE HUB

A SOUTHSIDE FESTIVAL HUB ACROSS BOTH VENUES

OCTOBER | TW + EF Every year, Theatre Works transforms into the ultimate FRINGE FESTIVAL hotspot, bringing a vibrant collection of shows to life across both our venues! From bold new voices to daring experimental works, our Fringe season is a celebration of creativity, diversity, and artistic risktaking. Across two dynamic venues, Theatre Works offers the perfect playground for artists to push boundaries and audiences to discover the unexpected. Grab your friends and dive into the magic and the mayhem this October!

IMAGE What Lies Beneath (Melbourne Fringe 2025) PHOTO BY Steven Mitchell Wright

ABUNDANCE ‘26 CABARET FUNDRAISER

OCTOBER | THEATRE WORKS Join us for ABUNDANCE ‘26, Theatre Works’ annual cabaret fundraiser and an evening where Melbourne’s brightest cabaret and theatre stars converge for an unforgettable evening. Expect captivating performances and a lavish supper as we come together to celebrate and support our vibrant arts community. More than just a night out, this is a crucial fundraiser that helps Theatre Works continue championing bold, independent theatre.

IMAGE Abundance 2025 PHOTO BY Andrew Bott

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

with THEATRE WORKS

THE MEL BROOKS MUSICAL

Young Frankenstein BOOK BY MEL BROOKS & THOMAS MEEHAN MUSIC AND LYRICS BY MEL BROOKS ORIGINAL DIRECTION AND CHOREOGRAPHY BY SUSAN STROMAN

From the outrageous mind of Mel Brooks comes YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN, a gloriously silly, lightning-powered musical comedy. When the very serious Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (…“Fronk-ensteen”) inherits his family’s spooky Transylvanian mansion, he’s determined not to follow in Grandpa’s mad-scientist footsteps. But with Igor Igor (yes, “Eye-gor”), the stunning Inga, and a laboratory begging for chaos, things get electric fast. Soon there’s singing, dancing, monster-making, and more jazz hands than science ever asked for. Featuring showstoppers like The Transylvania Mania and Puttin’ on the Ritz, this spectacular spoof celebrates comedy, theatrical flair, and pure musical mayhem.

8 - 24 oct THEATRE WORKS PRODUCED BY StageBugs Productions Licensed exclusively by Music Theatre International (Australasia)

Visit www.youngfrankensteinthemusical.com.au for more! PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

FRESH WORKS

SMOKE

BY HUGO GUTTERIDGE

An early morning in an inner city club starts to meld into the surreal as its smoking area becomes a stage for ghosts of the past, inter-dimensional drug dealers and good old fashion existential dread. SMOKE follows several partygoers at the end of their night as the come to terms with their relationships, their fears and desires, their place in the world, and why the hell this last 5 minutes before closing has gone on for 5 hours. A love letter to Melbourne’s club culture and to those hours before dawn when almost anything could happen.

PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

14 - 24 oct explosives factory CREATED BY Hugo Gutteridge Jess Lu Anastasia Krstevska FEVER103 Theatre Callum McKay

with THEATRE WORKS

CRAPBOX + EARLY MORNING BY KEVIN NEMETH Two short plays about love, loss, reconciliation and acceptance. Kevin Nemeth has shaped his domestic and everyday material into delicate, profound and gently funny explorations of human nature. Set in regional Victoria, CRAPBOX is narrated by a recently widowed man who has discovered that his ‘tree change’ home is haunted. The tension between his blunt pragmatism and the need to deal with his situation leads him on a surprising journey. In EARLY MORNING a couple wake too early and are beset by anxieties and paradoxes as they lie in bed - hoping that the other one will get up and make coffee.

27 OCT - 7 nov explosives factory WRITER Kevin Nemeth DIRECTORS Anne Browning Tom Gutteridge PERFORMERS Anne Browning Peter Houghton Tom Gutteridge

PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

with THEATRE WORKS

TIMON OF ATHENS

BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE AND THOMAS MIDDLETON Timon, exceptionally wealthy and unbridled in their generosity, wines and dines the elite, serves as a patron to the arts and magnanimously funds the state. Convinced of the loving nature of humanity, he gives and keep on giving. Surely if Timon accidentally gave it all away his friends would be there to return the favour? This darkly funny, ensemble-based and highly physical spin on Shakespeare’s riches to rags anti-capitalist satire will wow audiences with its confronting relevance to our lives today.

PHOTO BY Steven Mitchell Wright

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

27 OCT - 7 NOV THEATRE WORKS CREATED BY Kevin Hopkins Claire Nicholls

with THEATRE WORKS

CAESAR | CAESAR

11 - 28 nov

BY CHRISTOPHER BRYANT, HEATHER FAIRBAIRN AND KATE WILD, AFTER SHAKESPEARE

BOTH VENUES

A groundbreaking theatrical event, Fairbairn + Wild’s radically reimagined Julius Caesar unfolds simultaneously across two iconic St Kilda venues. With action live-streamed between Theatre Works Main Space and the Explosives Factory, audiences witness the same events but are told two very different stories.

WRITERS Christopher Bryant Heather Fairbairn Kate Wild

Choose your venue. Choose your version. Or book a double ticket, see both sides and piece together the truth behind the media spin. With new text by Christopher Bryant and a cinematic supercut of Shakespeare’s original masterpiece, CAESAR | CAESAR is bold, urgent and unmissable – a theatrical revolt where the personal is political, and the political is perilously personal.

CO-DIRECTORS Heather Fairbairn Kate Wild PRODUCTION DESIGNER (EF) Nathan Burmeister PRODUCTION DESIGNER (TW) Savanna Wegman LIGHTING + VIDEO DESIGNER Aron Murray COMPOSER + SOUND DESIGNER Anthony J. Walker

PHOTO BY Dan Rabin

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

with THEATRE WORKS

THE

ENGINEER IN THE SNOW a fantastical erotic fugue for Planet Earth BY SANDRA FIONA LONG

Inspired by adult animation, and riffing off trashy romance literature, THE ENGINEER IN THE SNOW turns trad erotic romance on its head. Here the ultimate erotic fantasy is to experience the vulnerability and pain of the planet, and also the erotic potential of its renewal. Told through the imagination of one woman, performed by Emily Tomlins, within a world of interactive vocals, foley and visual design, this poetic new work is created by an award-winning multidisciplinary team from Australia and Indonesia. Join us for a transcendent journey crossing exquisite landscapes. Be plunged into visions of global economic disparity and environmental destruction. And celebrate the power of the imagination to achieve anything. This project is supported by the Seaborn, Broughton & Walford Foundation PHOTO BY Peter Casamento

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

8 - 17 DEC THEATRE WORKS WRITER/DIRECTOR Sandra Fiona Long PERFORMER/CO-CREATOR Emily Tomlins COMPOSER/SOUND DESIGNER Darius Kedros MULTIMEDIA DESIGNER Deden Bulqini SET/COSTUME DESIGNER Emily Barrie PRODUCER Kat Carrington

FRESH WORKS

THE NATIONAL DRAMA SCHOOL STUDENT SHOWCASE

Theatre Works is proud to continue our partnership with THE NATIONAL DRAMA SCHOOL in 2026, supporting the next generation of theatre-makers as they step into the spotlight. This collaboration provides National Drama School graduates with a professional platform to present their end-of-year showcase, marking the culmination of their training and their transition into the industry.

2 - 12 Dec explosives factory PRODUCED + PERFORMED BY National Drama School Students

As part of this partnership, Theatre Works offers technical, marketing, and venue support, ensuring these talented graduates have the resources and expertise to bring their work to life.

PHOTO BY: Tom Noble

THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

DONATE Independent by nature. Fierce by choice. Stronger with you.

Here’s what your support enables: • Artists to rehearse, create and perform in professional, affordable spaces • Innovative, diverse productions to reach audiences across Melbourne and beyond • Theatre Works to remain a fiercely independent hub for creativity in St Kilda • Real jobs for artists, crew, designers, and makers. Not just passion projects

Theatre Works does more than put on shows. It creates space for bold ideas, new voices, and brave stories. Behind every production is a leap of faith and a real cost.

We don’t rent out our venue. We don’t sell space. Instead, we partner with artists, offering production, marketing, technical and creative support to bring new work to life.

ach show is underwritten by Theatre Works: E $21,000 in the main venue and $15,000 in the Explosives Factory. This investment allows artists to take creative risks and bring fearless new work to life.

Nearly all our income comes from ticket sales, donations and project fundraising. It’s a challenging model, but one that puts the art and the artists first.

Theatre Works supports independent artists from all backgrounds. It co-produces new musicals, original plays, and experimental works that challenge, connect, and reflect the diverse world we live in.

Visit theatreworks.org.au/donate or scan the QR code below to make your contribution today.

We don’t do this for profit. We do it for possibility. To tell stories. To bring people together. To hold space for the next generation of artists. This is theatre with purpose. A vital platform for expression, connection, and change.

Thanks for reading. And for standing with us.

Your donation directly supports our artist-first model, which means more new work, more paid creatives, and more room for voices that often go unheard.

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THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

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THANK YOU TO OUR DONORS THEATRE WORKS REDEVELOPMENT The redevelopment was an initiative of the State Government of Victoria through Creative Victoria. Major Supporters: Jane & Stephen Hains Greg Day City of Port Phillip Federal Government through Strong Communities Flavia Gobbo OAM & James MacKenzie AO MacKenzie Gobbo Foundation Naomi Milgrom Foundation Robert Buckingham THEATRE WORKS CHAMPIONS | $10,000+ Simon Cowan Foundation Dianne Toulson DIRECTORS CIRCLE $3,000 - $5,000 + Anne Byrne AM ACF Foundation Callinan/O’Neil Fund Carrillo Gantner AC Jane Kennedy & Rob Sitch Ignition Foundation Jo Porter GUARDIAN CIRCLE | $2,500+ John Betts Robert Buckingham Crothers Walton Foundation Jo Horgan AM & Peter Wetenhall Julie & Michael Landvogt Naomi Milgrom AC Susan Renouf Ann Ryan & John Bennetts Angie Scanlon & Peter Scanlon AO / Scanlon Foundation Ricci Swart AM Susan Thacore PRODUCERS CIRCLE | $2,000 + Andrew Dmasevicius-Zilinskas Rosemary Walls ARTISTIC CIRCLE | $1,000+ Janice Alford-Jarvis Sally Browne AM / Sally Browne Fund Ann Donegan Rosemary Forbes & Ian Hocking Vivienne Halat Roger Hatten Belinda Kendal-White Michael Kingston Michael Lawrence Guy Mendelson Jane & Roger Nelson James Ostroburski OAM Lynda Salvo Jane Smith Vic Zbar & Pamela Macklin

ENSEMBLE | $500 + Lizzette Atkins James Holt Jonathan Isaacs Shelley Lasica Pamela Lloyd James McCaughey Rob Mills DJ Pearce Darren Proctor Jane Ryan & John Bennetts Megan Upton Peter Watson Richard Watts OAM FOYER CIRCLE | $200 - $400 John Betts Nancy Black Julia Butler Christopher Chaundy Elaine Chia Bernie Cooper Jeffery Copolov John Corkish Alicia Darvall Lisa Dethridge Linden Golding Michael Golding Moya Hamilton-Sturdy Sam Hurst Katherine Kirby Wendy Kozica Sharon Lacy SC Melissa McShane Susie Meagher Debra Phyland Jenifer & Oskar & Revesz Alison Richards Gillian Sparkes AM Cameron Swann Elycia Tapp Roslyn Varley Nurin Veis Jenni Welch Patricia Wheelahan Susan Williamson AUDIENCE CIRCLE Simon Abrahams Chiara Affinita Morgan Aldrich Susan Bamford Caleo Nicole Beyer Nesceda Blake Jane Bolding Caroline Bowditch Michael Brindley Michelle Buxton Rosa Campagnaro Linda Catalano Christine Constantinou Lorraine Conway Christina Costigan Jason Craig Teresa Dick Helen Donnard Jodi Dowler

Evan Drill Kim Durban Sally Elliott Debbie Ferris Tanya Gerstle Simon Gibbs Jeremy Gobbo KC Jaems Grant Bindi Green Tom Gutteridge Cathy Hardcastle Philip Hayden Christine Hinton Rachel Howard Eleanor Howlett Sean Jameson Kyle Jeffares Dorian Jones Rosie Jones & Peter Tapp Jess Keepence Christopher Kelly Virginia Kennedy Meredith Kerr Belinda Kirwan Wendy Lasica Jane Longhurst Georgina Luck Trudy Lynam Rebecca MacFarling Will Magil Alida Milani Tom Molyneux Jonathan Morgan Julie Nankervis Lukellie Nguyen Debra Nielsen Maureen Nunn Patrick O’Brien Kaylene O’Neill Cameron Ong Phillip Orth Margaret Pagone Ellen Pittman Sian Prior Chelsea Rabl Rosemary Richards Jacque Robinson Angela Rojter Mazz Ryan Enzina Sansano Adele Shelley Suzie Skelton Gina Sprout Machado Douglas Stewart Prudence Sutherland Robert Thomason Belina Tominc Katy Turbitt Rachael Vassallo Yvonne Virsik Kimberley Watson Sally Webster Jenni Welch Jessica Wilde Frank Willmott Antony Zajicek

TEAM THEATRE WORKS STAFF

BOARD

DIANNE TOULSON Executive Director / Creative Producer

RIVER STEVENS Front of House Coordinator

ROBERT BUCKINGHAM (CHAIR)

ADAM GARDNER Marketing Coordinator / Box Office Manager / Graphic Designer

BELLE HANSEN Company Artist

CAROLINE BOWDITCH

JOSHUA FERNANDEZ Venue Operations

SHARON LACY SC

JADE HIBBERT Producing Coordinator CHRIS PATRICK HANSEN Marketing + Producing Associate

ANNE HENDERSON Finance Administrator

LAUREN BENNETT

LYALL BROOKS

GUY MENDELSON SONIA VON BIBRA REAR COVER PHOTO BY Dan Rabin THEATRE WORKS SEASON 2026

REAR COVER

14 Acland Street St Kilda VIC 3182 Australia

THEATREWORKS.ORG.AU