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Praise be! Mormons’ second coming is a blasphemous delight

Our reviewers give their verdict on the latest shows around town.

  • Cassie Tongue, James Jennings, John Shand and Joyce Morgan

Latest

Hazem Shammas and Peter Carroll in the Bell Shakespeare production of Coriolanus, a study of the fragility of democracy and the allure of the strongman.

Full-blooded and steeped in machismo, this is a Coriolanus to remember

Politics and war collide in this production of a Shakespeare classic, where the play’s intrigues (and the social inequalities behind them) are laid down with brisk lucidity.

  • Cameron Woodhead, Sonia Nair, Will Cox and Tony Way
Dead Puppet Society creative director David Morton with a model CityCat designed for La Boite show We’re All Gonna Die!

Apocalyptic comedy recreates Brisbane landmarks, and destroys them

La Boite’s new show has well-loved buildings demolished at a rate that would shock Joh Bjelke-Petersen.

  • Nick Dent
Tricia Paoluccio channels Dolly Parton’s vocal mannerisms and expressions impressively.

This Dolly Parton musical has a wafer-thin plot – but who cares when the music’s this good?

You’ll have a much better time if you go in expecting a tribute concert over a fully integrated musical.

  • Cameron Woodhead, Vyshnavee Wijekumar and Tony Way
Michael Whalley as Winston Smith and Chloe Bayliss as Julia in Shake & Stir’s production of 1984.

George Orwell intended 1984 to be a satire, but this play shows it’s close to the truth

While the design is impeccable, the slow creeping unease of the text doesn’t translate as easily to stage.

  • Cameron Woodhead, Tony Way, Vyshnavee Wijekumar, Michael Dwyer and Sonia Nair
Will O’Mahony, Ratidzo Mambo, Emily Rose Brennan and Deep Sroa in Never Have I Ever.

Eat the rich: Black Swan’s new play is biting, entertaining – and confusing

This satire on the excesses of cultural enlightenment ends up embracing what it critiques, mutating into an increasingly far-fetched sisterhood revenge thriller.

  • Mark Naglazas
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MONOLITH was part of the 2025 Rising Festival.

Melbourne doesn’t give up its secrets easily. This festival is delving below its surface

From a shaky start, this year’s Rising Festival shows it is maturing into a distinctive and diverse event.

  • Cameron Woodhead
Pete and Bas perform at Max Watts on June 8.

I don’t know what this show was, but it was the most fun I’ve had in ages

Are Pete and Bas actors? An elaborate bit of performance art? And does getting answers to these questions really, actually matter?

  • Will Cox, Cameron Woodhead, Sonia Nair and Karl Quinn
Singer Christine Anu at lunch at Flower Drum.

Why Christine Anu broke her ‘no more musicals’ rule

The singer reflects on how she was enticed by the charms of Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown, and her enduring connection with My Island Home.

  • Cassidy Knowlton
Suki Waterhouse performs at the Athenaeum on June 6.

She’s a ‘model, actress, whatever’. And in her first Australian gig, her charisma is undeniable

In this all-ages performance at the Athenaeum, the lighting and smoke create an intense ambience that complements Suki Waterhouse’s stage presence.

  • Vyshnavee Wijekumar, Leila Lois, Cameron Woodhead, Will Cox and Andrew Fuhrmann

Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/topic/theatre-reviews-jp6