Theatre & Dance
Latest Melbourne theatre and dance reviews and previews
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
While we may have been sworn to secrecy about the plot, we can reveal that the hype is entirely deserved.
How to get cheap theatre tickets in Melbourne
Venerable American theatre critic Jonathan Kalb once remarked that the only way to really enjoy theatre was in large doses. The playwright Terrence McNally recommends three nights a week at a minimum. Excellent advice! But what about your precious doubloons? That much theatre doesn't come cheap – not unless you strategise. Group bookings Most venues offer discounts group bookings, many for groups as low as eight. That's, like, what? Four couples? Two families? One book club? Easy. This is especially useful for those big musicals at the top end of town. Ticketek have their own group bookings department where you can expect to save between $5 and $20 per ticket depending on the promoter. The advantage of a group discount is you won't get stuck in seat ZZ 99 for the sake of saving a few bucks. Just the opposite: you might end up with a few perks thrown in. Subscription Duh. Of course, taking out a season or part-season subscription will save you money. But don't forget that subscriptions aren't just for the big "arts precinct" companies. You can also purchase season tickets for ambitious independents. At a place like Red Stitch you can save almost 30% per ticket by signing up for a full season. You might also consider purchasing subscriptions to smaller companies that don't have a permanent venue. Concession Again, duh. You don't need us to tell you that most venues offer some kind of concession rate for "eligible card holders". But wait – there's more! Many companies al
Theatre, dance, musicals and opera on now in Melbourne
A guide to Melbourne's theatre scene
Where to sit in Melbourne's theatres
Melbourne is blessed with a wealth of theatres, from the grand old dames to the kooky hidden gems; no city in Australia can lay claim to as many in as good a condition as ours. But inside those venues, not all seats are created equal. Sure, there are some shows so spectacular and unmissable you’d happily sit anywhere, but most experiences in the theatre can be augmented by the best seats in the house. And occasionally ruined by the worst. So, without further ado, we give them to you. RECOMMENDED: How to score cheap theatre tickets in Melbourne.
Latest theatre reviews
Pomona review
This haunting and surreal play concerns an abandoned concrete island
Solaris review
Malthouse is teaming up with Edinburgh's Royal Lyceum Theatre for a new adaptation of a cult sci-fi classic
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Much Ado About Nothing
Zindzi Okenyo will finally be front and centre where she belongs when she stars as the whip-smart Beatrice in Bell Shakespeare’s new production of Much Ado About Nothing. In case you missed reading it at school, Much Ado is pretty much the original romantic comedy, and features one of Shakespeare’s most-loved couples, Beatrice and Benedick, who banter and swap barbs until their friends decide to bring them together. Don’t expect it to be all hearts and flowers though – Bell Shakespeare associate director James Evans promises to bring out the play’s darker conflicts as well, in particular the female characters’ struggle for identity and self-knowledge in a male-dominated world. "The story flips from uproarious comedy to utter heartbreak in an instant, and then back again. That is the genius of Shakespeare, and why this play is one of my favourites,” he says. Sparring with Okenyo as Benedick will be Duncan Ragg (The Dance of Death), alongside Mandy Bishop, Will McDonald, Vivienne Awosoga, Danny Ball, Marissa Bennet, Suzanne Pereira, Paul Reichstein and David Whitney.
Win your dream American experience with Virgin Australia and Delta Air Lines
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Melbourne has a new coworking space – and you can get free membership
It’s safe to say that Melbourne is a city obsessed with eating and drinking. After our morning coffee, we're already thinking about where to have lunch, and right after that lunch, our minds turn to where we might head to for dinner. The city’s hospo crews certainly have their work cut out for them, but a new, collaborative coworking hub is helping give Melbourne’s culinary pros the space to stretch their wings. Worksmith has opened a fresh coworking space located at Ella – the new entertainment and dining precinct on the corner of Elizabeth and La Trobe streets (Elizabeth plus La Trobe equals Ella). After successfully opening its first coworking space in Collingwood, the industry professionals behind Worksmith launched the CBD outpost in June, and the community there is thriving. Just like the original Collingwood hub, Worksmith Ella is a space where those working in the hospitality industry can build and grow their latest projects and collaborate with like-minded professionals. Plus, to celebrate Worksmith’s official launch party at Ella, Time Out has teamed up with them for an exclusive industry offer. Until September 30, Time Out readers who are in the food, beverage and hospitality industries can score a free month-long membership to Worksmith Ella or Collingwood (whichever suits you best). Your Worksmith industry membership gives you access to 16 hours at the hub per month; use of the Worksmith meeting room (once a month); invites to social events, launches and net
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Win your dream ‘week well spent’ with Ableforth’s Bathtub Gin
Imagine this, the chance to spend your dream week, in whatever shape or form that might take. Well Ableforth's Bathtub Gin is giving you the chance to win your perfect 'week well spent'. Whether a 'week well spent' means shopping sprees or lunch dates and nights out on the town with your mates, Ableforth's Bathtub Gin wants to know about it – and they want to help you bring your dream week to life. And if you win, Ableforth's will help the winner turn their dream 'week well spent' into reality (to the value of up to $1,000). Terms and conditions apply. So, why do the spirit makers at Ableforth's want to know what your ideal week is? That's because a week is exactly how long it takes to make each batch of their award-winning Bathtub Gin. To get the gin's distinct flavour and botanical hue, the team spends no fewer than seven days cold compounding (infusing in layman's terms) their ingredients, which when everything's distilled at high temperatures in copper pots, becomes the distinctively delicious Bathtub Gin. To be in with a chance of winning your dream ‘week well spent’, head to the link below and tell us what your 'week well spent' would look like by July 31. Good luck! Enter now
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