Last year was a challenging time for all. With too many reasons to mention, it was the dreaded Coronavirus that, above all else, threw our lives and the entire world into chaos.
Amidst the many disruptions to society, the entertainment world was one area hit particularly hard. Theatres were closed, productions cancelled and jobs lost.
In the true Aussie spirit, many got creative through online streaming, but it just couldn’t replace the excitement and stimulation of real theatre. But the good news is that, thanks to Australia’s vigilant lockdown, our marque lights are shining once more as red curtains also rise around the country. Theatre is back for 2021!
As the year begins, our various State theatres are rolling out a program of productions – both postponed and brand new – spread out and divided into ‘Acts’. The Sydney Theatre Company is presenting the Australian premiere of the acclaimed coming out and coming of age musical Fun Home with Marina Pryor and Ryan Gonzalez, as well as the Ruth Park Australian classic Playing Beatie Bow, which takes a social historical journey through Sydney’s The Rocks – ironically the home of the STC. It will star Sofia Nolan and Catherine Van-Davies.
Hamilton
The Darlinghurst Theatre Company is bringing back the global hit ONCE in a 21-week tour of metropolitan and regional Australia, and the Hayes Theatre will reopen its doors with the Mel Brooks Musical, Young Frankenstein, staring Matthew Becker. Meanwhile, the Ensemble Theatre will present Shane Jacobson’s Kenny, starring Ben Wood, David Williamson’s Nearer The Gods with Rowan Davie and the classic suspense story The Woman In Black with Garth Holcombe.
In South Australia the Adelaide Festival will see Paul Capsis in Thornton Wilder’s The Bridge of San Luis Rey, Jonathan Biggins as Paul Keating in The Gospel According to Paul and Margaret Harvey as the formidable ‘Martha’ in Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? While the Perth Festival will stage The Cherry Orchard, an Australian makeover of Chekhov’s final masterpiece with Humphrey Bower, Queensland Theatre will present Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew directed by Damien Ryan. Also on their program is Thornton Wilder’s three-act play Our Town, directed by Lee Lewis, and Triple X, the story of a Wall Street banker having an affair with a trans performer – the day before his wedding. Writer Glace Chase also plays main character Dexie.
“Thanks to Australia’s vigilant lockdown, our marque lights are shining once more”.
Also making a return are those hunky men of Matador. It’s exotic and lustful mix of burlesque, ballet, circus acts and steamy Latin numbers are a delight to the eye and the soul! New to the cast are dancers and aerialists Liam Dummer and Liam Roodhouse.
Chess the musical concert will play at Melbourne’s Regent Theatre, Friends: The Musical Parody! at the Comedy and the stage version of movie classic The Wedding Singer at the Athenaeum. The Crown Theater, Perth will present The Boy From Oz and Bat Out Of Hell, The Musical will begin at the RAC Arena before touring to other states.
Many will be pleased to see the return of the 9/11 based musical Come From Away, which begins its encore Melbourne performance at the Comedy Theatre in February, before heading to Brisbane’s QPAC’s Lyric Theatre and then Sydney’s Capitol. The Melbourne Princess Theatre will finally see the anticipated return of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, as it continues its lengthy and headlining run. In fact, with the London, New York and San Francisco productions suspended (at time of printing), Melbourne is the only city currently running the show.
Friends: The Musical Parody
Of course the most anticipated theatrical event for 2021 is the Australian premiere of Hamilton. Get in and book your seats, because it’s full steam ahead for the record-breaking show about America’s founding father Alexander Hamilton. Hailed as a masterpiece, the show has won the Tony, Grammy, Oliver and Pulitzer Prize, with a profound impact on culture, education and politics. Our local cast includes Daniel Assetta, Brent Hill, Lyndon Watts, Chloe Zuel and Jason Arrow as Alexander Hamilton.
Other large productions scheduled for Australia this year are Disney’s Frozen, 9 to 5: The Musical and Moulin Rouge! The Musical, but the anticipated Everybody’s Talking About Jamie may take a little longer. With COVID throwing original schedules off kilter and with uncertainty still in the air, anything could happen over 2021. But if all continues in a positive way, many planned shows will still make their way onto the stage in later months, if not 2022.
Regardless, our new COVID-Safe way of life includes all theatres abiding to government-regulated COVID-Safe Plans, with safety measures including face masks, attendee registers, hand sanitising stations and anti-viral theatre cleaning. Although entry times may be staggered, standard seating is still in place.
“Music Theatre Melbourne launched a musical competition created specifically around the pandemic”.
The social impact of COVID itself has given way to some local creativity, including the Malthouse Theatre’s streaming of the Lockdown Monologues, and earlier this year, Music Theatre Melbourne (MTM) launched a musical competition created specifically around the pandemic. The winner of ‘COVID The Musical’ is Australian/New Zealand composer Isaac Shatford. With a field of 61 competitors and six months of judging, Shatford was chosen for his high level of craft for music and lyrics, and for his creation of relatable characters. Given the working title of ‘Ruth’, Shatford’s story centers on a family reunion prolonged through lockdown, resulting in a discovery of many skeletons in the closet. Ruth is expected to have its premier in September.
Considering that Broadway theatres are expected to remain closed until June and the London West End faces a ‘tiered’ approach to its openings, Australia is in a pretty good position. However, remembering that international tourism is still at zero, our productions – and economy – are relying on local business. So treat yourself to a ticket!
The Woman In Black
2020 was tough for the showbiz industry, but the glowing lights outside our theatres have become poignant beacons of optimism – just like the ending to a really grand musical!
