Season 2025

When planning a Season, we think a lot about what each play ‘does’, and by that, I mean the way we balance the whole program.

A bit like planning a meal, making sure that there’s undeniable substance, diverse nutrition, flavours which are complementary yet at times unexpected, delivered with a sprinkling of surprising spices.

We begin with an American Classic August: Osage County – an astounding portrayal of a family’s implosion, reflecting a country’s own disintegrating façade. This is a theatrical coup for Perth audiences and will feature seven local actors alongside members from Belvoir St Theatre’s production. This is definitely a ‘don’t miss’, exceptional piece of drama.

Next up is Blue – a beautifully insightful story about a young person’s evolution from boy to man through the process of coming to terms with loss, and finding the unexpectedly rich life lessons hidden within the heartache. It’s a surprisingly uplifting experience as we witness this young man’s frank and open-hearted coming-of-age tale.

Speaking of meals – Never Have I Ever is a culinary, theatrical feast of humour, savvy political insights, outrageous twists and turns, and joyous mayhem. I rarely read a play I genuinely can’t put down, but this is that play. Undeniably contemporary, genuinely fresh, and delightfully contentious, this is a dinner party that leaves its guests reeling, with their lives changed – it may just do the same to you.

Now regarded as an Australian classic, Speaking in Tongues was famously adapted for screen into the renowned film Lantana. The cleverly crafted tale haunts us with its sliding-door possibilities, making each of us question, in a very personal way, ‘what if I….?’ Finely balanced notions of fate and purpose fill its multi-layered narrative, leaving us to contemplate the vital significance and inevitable consequence of every decision we make.

Love him or love him less, no one can deny the intriguing complexity of Paul Keating’s personality. A leader who changed the course of our country and who, to this day can still ruffle feathers, The Gospel According to Paul is a must-see for anyone interested in why people enter politics and what it’s like on the inside. Laden with Keating’s acerbic language and unmatched eviscerating witticisms, you’ll find this experience surprisingly moving and endlessly entertaining.

Raised in Big Spirit Country is a concert conceived by our Broome-based Associate Artist Naomi Pigram-Mitchell. Born amongst the artistic giants who created the ‘Broome sound’ and who were integral to legendary productions such as Bran Nue Dae and Corrugation Road, Naomi’s life has been steeped in the riches of this bountiful creative legacy. Significantly, she now finds herself centred between the vital history of Broome’s past, her own music, and the equally significant creative rite of passage of the next generation. This vibrant concert will bring these multi-generational artists to Perth to showcase and celebrate the influential past and the voices of the future.

Christmas holds differing associations for everyone. For Carol, Christmas is ultimately a time of giving, particularly through her treasured role as a grandmother. The brand-new play Carol takes us along the lead up to Christmas through the eyes of a woman who has unexpectedly found herself on the margins of society. With a Kmart choir and a homeless Santa in tow, Carol ultimately finds genuine festive cheer through unexpected alliances, new perspectives, and unprecedented resilience.

I hope you find a lot to devour in our new season! Bon appétit!

KATE CHAMPION
Artistic Director