Theatre Brisbane | What is on in Brisbane

Wish granted – Disney’s Aladdin: the Musical is finally here!

15 Feb 2018

Real talk – regardless of your Disney fanatic status, if you haven’t seen the 1992 animated classic Aladdin you simply have not lived. It’s your classic feel-good formula of good guys and bad guys, moral conflict, dazzling romance and a hefty dose of comedy. Honestly, what’s not to love? Good news, folks – this legendary tale has been transformed for the stage and its flying on a magic carpet straight to Brisbane! From February 20, QPAC will turn into a cave of wonders for Disney’s Aladdin: The Musical – and it’s everything we could have wished for. more

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Introducing HOTA – the Gold Coast’s new Home of the Arts

06 Feb 2018

Brisbane, we'd like you to meet HOTA (Home of the Arts). It's possible you've actually met before – HOTA was formerly known as The Arts Centre Gold Coast and as of today (Tuesday February 6) will be officially named Home of the Arts. This is way more than just a shiny new name – the announcement also marks the unveiling of the cultural precinct's $37.5-million outdoor theatre, which is underscored by a spectacular program of events that will take the city's arts and culture scene to dizzying new heights. If it's been a while in between trips, it's high time you ventured down to check it out. more

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Let’s talk about sex (and love, and suicide, and guinea pigs) with Fleabag

01 Feb 2018

Any woman who has consumed any form of visual media in their life (so basically all of us living here in the first world) would be able to tell you that popular representations of females are far from realistic. Since the dawn of time we’ve had it drilled in to us that we have to look, act and live a certain way – and the pressure is bloody exhausting. Going through life without seeing other women doing the natural things we do – farting, watching porn, having periods, sleeping with strangers and the like – can lead us to believe that we are freaks of nature. If you’ve ever felt like you weren’t living up to society’s towering expectations, it’s time you got acquainted with Fleabag. Coming to the Brisbane Powerhouse from February 8–10, she’s the anti-heroine we need and the one we deserve. more

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The Dead Devils of Cockle Creek balances true grit and jet-black comedy

01 Feb 2018

When it comes to climate change, we’re living in a particularly interesting (and increasingly worrying) time in history. Between armchair experts starting heated debates on Facebook to a leader of the free world who literally doesn’t believe that the earth’s climate is in trouble, more of us are actually being inspired to stand up and take action. Time is running out, after all. So what would you do if your beliefs were called into question and you were forced to act accordingly? If push came to shove, would you stand up and fight? The Dead Devils of Cockle Creek poses this very question, making its bold and bloody debut at La Boite Theatre from February 10 to March 3. more

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The new classics – our top picks from La Boite’s spectacular 2018 season

25 Jan 2018

When it comes to the theatre, classics certainly have their place – these are the stories that audiences have come to know and love, and thus they deserve their place in our cultural sphere as significant to the arts. However, there is a lot to be said for stepping outside of the box and taking a risk. It is in these fresh, important and exciting stories that we find a renewed sense of purpose and a different perspective, something that is to be celebrated. La Boite Theatre’s 2018 season is rooted in the company’s core values of representation, diversity and respect – which make for some pretty bloody amazing productions that have never been seen before. We’ve picked five must-see works from the theatre’s stunning offering this year – say hello to the new classics. more

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Thrifty theatre – Queensland Theatre gives you your cultural fix for a tenner

11 Jan 2018

If your 2018 resolution is to see more theatre, you're in luck – it's never been easier (physically or fiscally) to do so. Queensland Theatre is kicking off the new year with one heck of a deal for millennials aching for some straight-up culture. Black is the New White is set to start the 2018 season, and those 30 or under can get tickets for as little as $10. Yep, we know – it's a crazy good deal! What's even better is that Black is the New White has been receiving rave reviews, so it looks like you've made good on your resolution already. Go you! more

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Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show brings pelvic thrusts back to QPAC

04 Jan 2018

Time to start brushing up on your relative directions – Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Show is returning to QPAC from Wednesday January 17 and you’d hate to accidentally take a jump to the right and a step to the left. more

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No need to take a chance – Mamma Mia! the musical is a sure bet

07 Dec 2017

Whether you love it or loathe it, the fact that ABBA is one of the world’s most enduring musical acts is undeniable. From sold-out halls to shopping malls and everywhere in between, the songs of the Swedish super troopers are bloody well everywhere – despite the fact that the group was at its peak back in the 70s. It makes sense that a stage musical based on the songs of ABBA would go absolutely gangbusters on account of it has all of the building blocks to be a hit – romance, heartbreak, pure joy and more than a dash of drama. The global phenomenon that is Mamma Mia! the musical is headed back to Brisbane, sweeping QPAC in a wave of pure pop brilliance from December 26 for a strictly limited season. more

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Follow the yellow brick road to QPAC for The Wizard of Oz

26 Oct 2017

When it comes to iconic pop culture moments, it's hard to go past The Wizard of Oz. This technicolour fantasy catapulted a young Judy Garland to fame, spawned some of the most charming songs in history and changed the face of cinema forever. It was a landmark film for a lot of reasons, so it makes sense that the story was bound to make its way to the stage. Coming to QPAC for a strictly limited season from November 4, The Wizard of Oz will make you feel all the whimsy and joy of the original movie and then some – just try not to sing along, we dare you. more

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Watch love flourish and fall apart in cult musical The Last Five Years

28 Sep 2017

Love is a tricky old thing, eh? When you’re on the right track with someone else you can feel totally invincible, but having your heart truly broken is probably one of the most traumatic things you can experience as a human. Like it or not, love and life happen simultaneously – and often they get in the way of each other. That being said, lost love is something we can all relate to. Cult musical The Last Five Years is coming to the Brisbane Powerhouse from October 7–14 to give us an all-singing arrow to the heart, following the timeline of a disintegrating relationship from start to finish with no holds barred. more

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See Tim Rogers’ iconic album What Rhymes With Cars and Girls get the stage treatment

21 Sep 2017

There are certain people who quite simply have a way with words – when they have something to say, we pay attention. One of these people is Tim Rogers, a bona fide Australian arts legend. Perhaps best known as the frontman for rock and roll outfit You Am I, Tim’s prolific career has spanned to include solo albums, books and now a stage production. The celebrated raconteur has teamed up with the Melbourne Theatre Company to bring us What Rhymes With Cars and Girls, coming to the Brisbane Powerhouse from October 25 to November 4 to hit us hard with feelings. more

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Roll up, roll up – Brisbane Festival’s jam-packed residency begins this weekend

07 Sep 2017

Hot damn, this town really loves spring. Far from gently awakening from a winter slumber and delicately dipping a toe into the pool to see if it’s warm enough, Brisbane prefers the cannonball method when it comes to new season celebrations. One such event that personifies this ethos is the annual Brisbane Festival, a crazy and colourful carnival running from September 9–30 that brings together all manner of artistic matter. From sex clowns to hoedowns, you’ll find it at Brisbane Festival. more

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On the line – Restrung explores the explosive places in between genres

03 Aug 2017

While genres can come in handy for classification, they can also be kind of limiting. We all know that one person who only listens to this or that, throwing some things aside and embracing others all because of a label (we see you, people who profess to hate country more than anything). Life is way more fun when you take the time to dig a little deeper and uncover what’s not so obvious – Restrung is taking over the Brisbane Powerhouse from August 17–19 to bring us a smorgasbord of strings-driven music, dance, theatre and art that pushes the boundaries of music and art. Let’s take a closer look at the spaces in between … more

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A Whitney-worthy stage adaptation of The Bodyguard has landed in Brisbane

06 Jul 2017

How do you know when a movie has hit truly iconic status? Sometimes it’s when it cops more spoofs and parodies than you can ever keep track of. Other times, thirsty producers will milk it for all its worth and pump out several useless sequels with a dubious B-list cast that would make Paris Hilton cringe. However, the true hallmark of a film’s legendary status is when it gets turned into a bona-fide worldwide smash hit musical. Hard to argue, right? A case in point is The Bodyguard, coming to QPAC from July 19 to August 13 for a strictly limited season to deliver the story you know with the songs you love. more

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Joh for PM is the political musical comedy we never knew we needed until now

29 Jun 2017

When it comes to politics, often the truth is stranger than fiction. Here in Australia, we have seen all manner of larger-than-life characters make their way through the government at various levels – some of them loveable (g’day Bob Hawke), some of them incomprehensibly daft (looking at you, Pauline Hanson) and some of them downright sinister. One of the most controversial figures in Australia’s political history is finally getting what he deserves – that’s right, it’s time to learn all about the life and times of Joh Bjelke-Petersen through the medium of the musical. Heading to the Brisbane Powerhouse from July 7-16, Joh for PM will have you roaring with laughter about something that definitely wasn’t funny at the time. more

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Heaven & Earth brings a triple-threat talent showcase to The Judy

15 Jun 2017

What happens between here and eternity? One thing is for sure – the arts make life worth living, and are capable of transporting us to an otherworldly place. From June 21–23, the Judith Wright Centre will play host to Heaven & Earth, three nights of unique performances showcasing the specialist disciplines of the Aboriginal Centre for Performing Arts. With one evening each dedicated to singing, dancing and acting, this is a triple-threat program that promises to be on another level. more

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Revel in the renewed relevance of George Orwell’s 1984

08 Jun 2017

It’s always a bit spooky when works of fiction predict the future – heck, nobody could have guessed that The Simpsons picked the Cubs finally winning the World Series years before it happened. One of history’s most definitive works of literature has turned out to bear some serious foreshadowing in modern society – George Orwell’s 1984 isn’t just a book you were probably forced to read in high school, but more a manifesto of the shape of things to come. Coming to QPAC from June 14–18, this worldwide classic is taking to the stage to bring us a hefty dose of the heebie-jeebies. more

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Glimpse the future of theatre at the immersive La Boite HWY

08 Jun 2017

One of the coolest things about theatre is that it is pretty much wide open – the only thing that can actually limit a work of art is one’s own imagination, after all. Any sort of creative process is always a journey, with the audience usually only privy to the finished product. La Boite HWY has arrived to give us an open invitation and a front-row seat to the creative processes behind the curtain. From June 12–24, the La Boite Theatre will come alive with a series of creative collabs and experiences that give audiences an inside look into the workings of not only the industry, but also the immersive world of live theatre. more

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Sashay this way – the Queensland Cabaret Festival returns with a star-studded schedule

18 May 2017

Cabaret is one of those things that you can’t really pin down into any specific description. Most of us are familiar with the vague, abstract concept – smoky rooms, dimly lit tables, clicking fingers and simmering sensuality. Turns out there is so much more to the genre than we give it credit for – and there is a dedicated event set to show us what it’s all about. The Queensland Cabaret Festival is returning from June 1–15, sashaying into three key venues to bring us a load of sauce, sizzle and spark with a serious side of heart. more

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The Play That Goes Wrong brings slapstick and schadenfreude to the stage

04 May 2017

Any time you’re having a bad day, you’ve probably shaken your fist at the sky and cursed Murphy’s Law – you know, the old adage claiming that anything that can go wrong will most definitely go wrong. All it takes is one piece of bad luck and suddenly your whole life feels like it’s spiralling out of control like a bad B-grade movie. Turning this pessimistic point of view into a riotous comedy might seem like a mammoth task, but that’s exactly what The Play That Goes Wrong does. Bursting onto the QPAC stage from May 4–14, this Olivier Award-winning piece of prime schadenfreude will leave you with tears (of laughter, not pity) running down your face. more