Selfie sticks become instruments of terror in this Lord Of The Flies, projecting the boys' descent into savagery. Oliver Cowen's Piggy is the heartbreaking moral compass. https://whatstheshow.com.au/beyond-good-and-evil-lord-of-the-flies-examines-the-darkness-within/

A two-storey set crammed into a tiny Sydney venue, an all-femme cast, and a third act performance that genuinely winds you. Dixon and Daughters is difficult but important. https://whatstheshow.com.au/dixon-and-daughters/

Sydney Lyric becomes Wonderland this week as Cirque Alice opens. Acrobats, aerialists and puppetry through Lewis Carroll's world, from the team behind The Illusionists. Two weeks only. https://whatstheshow.com.au/sydney-lyric-transforms-into-wonderland-as-cirque-alice-opens-this-week/

Stephen Curry's King Arthur radiates comedic aloofness while Jaz Flowers delivers powerhouse vocals as the Lady Of The Lake. A production that gleefully turns its limitations into punchlines. https://whatstheshow.com.au/monty-pythons-spamalot/

Sydney Chamber Choir and a jazz trio at The Neilson: their 'Here Comes The Sun' arrangement is so stunning George Harrison would have been proud. World-class vocals and an emotional journey through the seasons. https://whatstheshow.com.au/sessions-on-the-pier-time-tide/

A footy hooligan stranded in Sydney at 1AM becomes an unlikely Odysseus, resisting pokies and charming sea monsters. Emrys Quin delivers 55 minutes of relentless spoken-word energy. https://whatstheshow.com.au/odie/

A State of Origin hooligan stranded in Sydney at 1AM becomes a surreal Homeric hero. Emrys Quin delivers 55 minutes of non-stop energy with genuinely impressive rhyming work. https://whatstheshow.com.au/the-energizer-bunny-definitely-has-new-competition/

This production treats Pinter's subtext as if it were the truth, and you're never sure whether you're watching something real or imagined. Kate Kendall's Ruth is magnetic throughout. https://whatstheshow.com.au/real-unreal-and-impossible-to-look-away-from/

SKINT tried to make a true show about nothing. They ended up with puppets, techno, plastic blow-up chairs as tops, and some tricky questions about what we leave at the door when we go out for a laugh. https://whatstheshow.com.au/slugs-a-perfect-show-about-nothing-to-smooth-brain-you/

Cirque Empire premieres at Sydney's Coliseum Theatre from 7 January 2027. The creators of Cirque Alice are staging a 1920s spectacular with international aerialists and acrobats. Presales open 22 September. https://whatstheshow.com.au/coliseum-theatre-to-present-the-world-premiere-of-cirque-empire/

Fabio Motta plays Francis of Assisi, his father, the pope, and choreographs an entire war solo, then gets the audience to hand over their belongings. Bold physical theatre that earns its commitment. https://whatstheshow.com.au/holy-fool/

Smart Fone Flick Fest finalists announced: a 7-year-old director, a queer horror anthology, and 400 entries from 70+ countries heading to the Sydney Opera House for the Gala Finals. https://whatstheshow.com.au/12th-annual-smart-fone-flick-fest-finalists-named-for-opera-house-screenings/

Stephen Curry swaps screen for stage as King Arthur in Spamalot, opening at Melbourne's Athenaeum this week. Already extended through October 11 before it even opens. https://whatstheshow.com.au/monty-pythons-spamalot-opens-this-week/

Eight new cast members announced for The Shawshank Redemption Australian tour, joining David Berry, Bert LaBonté and Rodger Corser. Sydney opens January 2027, then Melbourne and beyond. https://whatstheshow.com.au/more-cast-revealed-for-the-shawshank-redemption/

Hayes Theatre Co's 2027 season takes the company to Carriageworks and The Foundry while packing eight shows into Potts Point, from Mozart to the Australian premiere of Swept Away. https://whatstheshow.com.au/hayes-theatre-co-unveils-its-2027-season/

Steel Magnolias at The Guild Theatre Rockdale: the team says expect smiling, laughing, and maybe some tears as six women share secrets in a Louisiana beauty salon. https://whatstheshow.com.au/steel-magnolias-a-celebration-of-friendship-at-the-guild-theatre/

Sally Evans stands out as Mum in Cooked, balancing quirky comedy with dramatic weight. The new work at KXT tackles heavy themes through a fractured Christmas lens. https://whatstheshow.com.au/we-have-a-great-relationship-apart-from-the-communication-issues/

A splinter choir in rural Australia becomes the vessel for confronting community secrets. Dark themes balanced with classic Aussie humour, and an ensemble that works as one. https://whatstheshow.com.au/where-harmony-meets-healing-the-heartbreak-choir/

The vibraphone might be the purest sound in an orchestra: tubular bells meets glass harp. Ensemble Offspring's Reich tribute featured metronome-synced body percussion, four-mallet virtuosity, and Radiohead woven into minimalist phasing. https://whatstheshow.com.au/reich-rejoice-repeat/

Two ballet dancers as birds offer a gorgeous break from the bloodshed: until you realise the dark undertones. This sold-out Sondheim production at Chapel off Chapel features a live orchestra and convincingly gory effects. https://whatstheshow.com.au/sweeney-todd-the-demon-barber-of-fleet-street/

A goat nibbles important papers, a soldier keeps a secret pocket mouse, and Dimitri Armatas plays mandolin live as the charming Captain. Genesian finds warmth in wartime. https://whatstheshow.com.au/captain-corellis-mandolin-theres-always-love-and-music/

Stephen Curry makes his musical theatre debut as King Arthur in Spamalot, opening at Melbourne's Athenaeum Theatre September 17 before galloping to Sydney in October. https://whatstheshow.com.au/monty-pythons-spamalot-arrives-in-melbourne/

An ensemble member's daring flip-fall among flying plates brought the house down, and that's just one moment in this five-star Hello Dolly. Nova Music Theatre proves community theatre can match professional standards. https://whatstheshow.com.au/hello-dolly/

Two vaudevillians who haven't spoken in 11 years are forced to reunite for CBS. The result is comic gold in this five-star Adelaide production of Neil Simon's classic. https://whatstheshow.com.au/the-sunshine-boys-the-rep/

Five stars for Table Manners at Old Mill Theatre: meticulous craft, impeccable comic timing, and a second act where everything clicks into place. The reviewer calls it genre perfection. https://whatstheshow.com.au/genre-perfection/

Rob Blowers' comic timing is so sharp that Phil Lambert somehow never breaks character watching him. Five stars for the rival con artists at Lilydale Athenaeum. https://whatstheshow.com.au/dirty-rotten-scoundrels/

George Harrison drowning out fame's chaos through meditation, then breaking: Matt Clayton anchors this five-star Beatles play about friendship, grief and what happens when life 'just stops'. Sydney Fringe until 13 Sept. https://whatstheshow.com.au/all-things-must-pass-a-play-about-the-beatles/

A paramedic's suppressed trauma cracks open at a Blue Mountains festival when a pair of mystical cockatoos fall out of sync. This five-star world premiere asks who heals the healers. https://whatstheshow.com.au/when-the-healers-need-healing-a-tender-journey-through-trauma-and-memory/

Four Japanese jazz artists are touring Australia in October 2026 for Japan Jazz Nights, celebrating 50 years of Australia-Japan friendship across seven cities. https://whatstheshow.com.au/japan-jazz-nights-celebrating-50-years-of-australia-japan-friendship-tour-dates-announced/

Miriam Battye writes plays that refuse to resolve neatly, and Salad Days Collective leans right into that chaos. Three women, a share-house lounge room, and friendship as the messiest love story of all. https://whatstheshow.com.au/scenes-with-girls-complex-contemporary-tragicomedy/