Reviews

Things I Know To Be True

By Andrew Bovell. Wyong Drama Group. Red Tree Theatre. Nov 14 – 22, 2025

Every time I see a Wyong Drama Group production I am always immediately struck by the attention to detail with the scenery.  When I walked in to see this play however, I noticed very quickly that there was clearly less decoration on the stage.  Apart from the fact that this play is mainly set in the backyard, the reason for the relatively pared back scenery soon becomes very apparent:  it simply isn’t necessary.  The quality of the performances in this dramatic production is so high that any superfluous decoration would only be a potential distraction. 

Titus Andronicus

By William Shakespeare. Theatre Works and th’ unguarded duncan. Theatre Works, Acland Street. 13 – 22 November 2025

When victorious General Titus Andronicus (Josh Morrison) returns to Rome from a ten-year campaign against the Goths, he brings with him Tamora, Queen of the Goths (Victoria Haslem) as booty.  A spiral of mayhem ensues: murder, rape, mutilation, sacrifice, and vengeance – principally vengeance.

Carmen

Composed by Georges Bizet, libretto by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, directed by Anne-Louise Sarks, conducted by Clelia Cafiero. Regent Theatre, 191 Collins Street, Melbourne.15–25 November 2025.

Carmen is an opera that provides highly recognisable music having infiltrated its way into popular culture and the popular psyche. The story is extremely colourful, highly dramatic and the music emphatically accentuates these aspects. This production is clearly inspired by the strong emotions the opera elicits, and the overall vision and design of this production is extremely willing to emphasise these aspects. No character or context is trivialised, and the contemporary setting reinforces the relevance of the bigoted and discriminatory gender dynamics that feature in the story.

Present Laughter

By Noël Coward. New Theatre, Newtown, NSW. November 11 – December 13, 2025

The lead in Noël Coward’s Present Laughter is an egocentric, ageing star of West End light comedies who is utterly dependent on the praise of those he’s collected around him. Problem is: whenever he’s sincere, people think he’s acting.

It’s a plum role which naturally Coward wrote for himself and, since its premiere in 1942, dozens of diverse leading men have played Garry Essendine.

Adrift in New York

By Addison Aulger. The Adelaide Repertory Theatre. The Arts Theatre, Angus St, Adelaide. Nov 13 – 22, 2025

The Adelaide Repertory Theatre have cleverly chosen a melodrama/music hall for their last offering for 2025, Adrift in New York.

Melodrama is a specific theatre performance style that unfortunately is not performed often enough. This could be because it has many conventions that need to be followed or the humour of the piece will not emerge. There are many who believe that performers only need to overact to perform melodrama, but this is far from the case.

CATS

By Andrew Lloyd Webber, T. S. Eliot, Trevor Nunn and Richard Stilgoe. Directed by Trevor Nunn, associated Direction and Choreography by Chrissie Cartwright. Crown Theatre, Perth, WA. Nov 9 - Dec 6, 2025

CATS is often listed by Musical Theatre people as their least favourite musical, but I feel that if they go to see the latest production at Crown, Perth, before the 6th of December, they will change their minds. This very tight, beautifully presented show delighted the Opening Night audience in Perth, and 45 years after its premiere, still feels fresh and charming.

Tivoli Lovely

By Eddie Perfect. WAAPA Musical Theatre. Directed by Dean Bryant. The Heath Ledger Theatre, State Theatre Centre of WA, Perth, WA. Nov 7-14, 2025

WAAPA Second and Third Year Students present the World Premiere of Eddie Perfect’s musical Tivoli Lovely in a huge scale production at the Heath Ledger Theatre. Featuring a huge cast, WAAPA students from music, production and design departments were also involved to bring this exciting, well-performed and beautifully realised new musical to fruition.

Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf?

By Edward Albee. Red Stitch Actors’ Theatre / Sydney Theatre Company. Roslyn Packer Theatre. Nov 7 – Dec 14, 2025

Like all theatrical masterpieces Edward Albee’s just keeps on giving. Benedict Andrews’ staging for Belvoir Street (2007) was all glass and sleek corporate menace, with the fighting couple actually turning to violence.

We also peered through glass - and over water - at another modern, if less thrilling South Australian version. Staged for the 2022 Sydney Festival, a multicultural cast added race to this explosive drunken night.

Apocalypse Perth

By Kate Rice. Directed by Melissa Merchant and Andrew Kocsis. Nexus Theatre, Murdoch University, WA. Nov 6-8, 2025

As a celebration of the Nexus Theatre’s 30th Anniversary, students from EGL 353 and Murdoch theatrical alumni presented Kate Rice’s very Perth based verbatim theatre piece, Apocalypse Perth.

Urinetown

By Mark Hollman and Greg Kotkis. Western Sky. Directed by Andrew Baker. The Liberty Theatre, Barrack St, Perth, WA. Nov 7-15, 2025

It is a great couple of weeks for theatre in WA, and amongst the best of the best is Western Sky’s Urinetown, perhaps the funniest musical you will ever see. Expertly directed by Andrew Baker, lovingly and superbly performed and accompanied by a top-notch ensemble, it is perhaps not surprising that this show is all but sold out.

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