LAZARUS Will Come to Theatre Works in May

This May, Theatre Works will invite audiences to a vital Australian work by acclaimed playwright John Harding. Running as part of the 2026 By Theatre Works season,  Lazarus tells the extraordinary true story of Larry Walsh; a Taungurung Elder, activist, and storyteller. The play traces his life from 1955 - through his removal from his mother, his time in state institutions, and his eventual journey toward cultural reclamation and leadership.

Rich with live music, evocative imagery and with more than 20 characters brought to life by an exceptional cast, Lazarus is helmed by multi-award-winning Director Kamarra Bell-Wykes, and is a powerful celebration of culture, resilience, and the unbreakable ties between mother and child, community and Country.

“This one asks something different of our audiences”, offers Theatre Works' Executive Director Dianne Toulson. 

“A lot of work we present is about big ideas, new writing, and pushing form, and that's still true here, but Lazarus carries a different kind of weight. It's not trying to entertain in the traditional sense, it asks you to sit with it. I think what really sets it apart is that it's grounded in a real story and a living cultural context.

We're also staging this in the main Theatre Works space, which gives us the opportunity to fully realise the design. There's scope here for a rich integration of video, sound, and staging, but always in service of the story, not overwhelming it. It's a different kind of theatre experience, one that stays with you.”

With an ensemble led by First Nations artists Sermsah Bin Saad, Teresa Moore, Nathan Wright, and Riley Warner, Director Kamarra Bell-Wykes is bringing a bold new interpretation of Lazarus to the Theatre Works stage. An electric reimagining of the work presented in the 2025 Yirramboi Festival, this latest season is also being spotlit for its cultural and educational significance, and is a featured work on the 2026 VCE Drama Playlist. Developed with the support of Australian Plays Transform and playing for a limited season, Lazarus is poised to be a true highlight on the 2026 Melbourne Arts Calendar, not to be missed.

Based in St Kilda, Theatre Works has been home to bold, independent theatre for more than 40 years. They give artists the space, support, and freedom to take risks, and audiences the chance to discover powerful new Australian stories. Each year, they present dozens of productions across their three venues, from reimagined classics to brand new works, created in partnership with some of the country's most exciting theatre makers.