Steve Francis News

Joanna Murray-Smith’s Julia, documenting the lead up to Julia Gillard’s famous 2012 parliamentary ‘misogyny speech’, is set to begin performances at Southbank Theatre in Melbourne from 31 May.

Justine Clarke is astounding as the PM 570 in JULIA. Writer, Johanna Murray- Smith has eloquently constructed a superb Play that explores Gillard’s journey as the first female Prime Minister in the heavily misogynistic Australian political environment.

The life, career and political landscape that led Australia's first female Prime Minister Julia Gillard to make her 'misogyny speech' will be examined and brought to life by Justine Clarke (Muriel's Wedding: The Musical) in Julia – playing Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House from 30 March. 

Bangarra Dance Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company, in their first co-production present the world premiere of WUDJANG: NOT THE PAST. An epic scale contemporary corroboree, and Bangarra’s largest stage production to date.

In a first-time co-production, two powerhouse arts companies, Bangarra Dance Theatre and Sydney Theatre Company, will join forces to present the world premiere of Wudjang: Not the Past.

Seven years after its world premiere in Chicago, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ Obie Award winning APPROPRIATE is presented as part of Sydney Theatre Company’s 2021 season. 

In 2021, Australia's leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performing arts company, Bangarra Dance Theatre, will present the world premiere of a powerful new contemporary program, SandSong: Stories from the Great Sandy Desert. SandSong will tour to Sydney, Canberra, Bendigo, Brisbane and Melbourne from 8th June to 4th September.

In February 2021, Australia's leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performing arts company, Bangarra Dance Theatre, will tour Spirit: a retrospective 2021 to regional locations across New South Wales.

After ten months of hibernation, Bangarra Dance Theatre has announced its return to the stage. For five nights of extraordinary live performance under the stars, the company will perform for a live audience once again with Spirit: a retrospective 2021 at Barangaroo Headland, from 21 – 24 January as part of Sydney Festival.

Bangarra Dance Theatre is like no other performing arts company on this tiny blue pebble in the sky. It is beyond compare, not only because of who and what it represents, the First Nations people of Australia and their incredible stories, but also because of its unsurpassed quality of production. Bennelong is, of course, no exception to this ethos and Perth is incredibly lucky to have had this devastatingly beautiful work presented at Perth Festival 2020.

Nominations were announced today for the Sydney Theatre Awards for 2019, which will be presented at a gala ceremony on Monday 20 January 2020 at 7pm at the York Theatre, Seymour Centre.

THE BEAUTY QUEEN OF LEENANE presents a gripping insight into Irish life with Martin McDonagh's trademark dark humour. 

Tommy Murphy's new biographical play, PACKER & SONS, directed by Eamon Flack, dissects three generations and approximately half a century of the Packer Family men.

In 2020, Australia's leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performing arts company, Bangarra Dance Theatre, will enter its fourth decade with a powerful new contemporary program, SandSong: Stories from the Great Sandy Desert.

David Williamson at his angry best in a new play set to open Griffin's 2020 Season. In 2020, Griffin Theatre Company will open the year with a new play from David Williamson, Family Values, a blackly comic drama examining Australia's inept response to the refugee crisis, directed by Lee Lewis and starring Andrew McFarlane.

Australia's leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performing arts company, Bangarra Dance Theatre, will present its multi award-winning production of Bennelong at Sydney's newest venue Sydney Coliseum Theatre, West HQ on 13 - 14 March, 2020.

DanceHouse, in partnership with Dancers of Damelahamid, launches its exhilarating 2019/20 season with Australia's acclaimed Bangarra Dance Theatre in the Canadian Premiere of Spirit, October 25 & 26, 2019 at 8pm at the Vancouver Playhouse. Choreographed by Bangarra's Artistic Director Stephen Page and former Assistant Artistic Director Bernadette Walong-Sene, the retrospective piece is a visionary fusion of nine of the company's celebrated Indigenous and contemporary works that boldly bridge past and present. Bangarra Dance Theatre has an authentic style of totemic storytelling reflecting the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities a?" tracing the unbroken connection between people, the land, and creation itself. Established in 1989, the cutting-edge company has played a critical role in the resurgence of traditional dance expressions.

The National Theatre has announced 15 productions of new plays and fresh adaptations by leading writers.

National Theatre has announced its listings for May - October 2019. Check out the full lineup below!

The weighty subject of suicide is considered with compassion and comedy in Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe's one performer play EVERY BRILLIANT THING.  Performer Kate Mulvany, under direction by Kate Champion and Steve Rodgers, brings a beautiful warmth and sensitivity to a story that reminds the audience of the need to talk about mental illness not relegate it to taboo or gossip.