Melbourne theatre and musicals in January

Directed by Andy Fickman with musical direction from Martine Wengrow, Heathers the Musical may be cheesier than the goofy yet undeniably brutal movie, but the slushy-driven “teen-angst bullshit” spirit of the Westerberg High cohort is still present and incorrect. Wrongness is in the story’s soon-to-be-buried-highschooler bones, after all. Refusing to shy away from the murderous mayhem that ensues at Westerberg High, the bitter realities of teenagers constantly assaulted by peer pressuring bullies who feel just as out of place ring true. If you like your musicals on the more maniacal side, then the satirically sharp Heathers the Musical will work its dark magic for fans of the film or those coming fresh to this twisted story.

Hey Melbourne, the Mormons are back! After wowing audiences in Sydney with plenty of "did they really just say that?” humour, The Book of Mormon is heading to the Princess Theatre. For the uninitiated, The Book of Mormon follows two inept Mormon missionaries from Salt Lake City on their journey to save mortal souls in a corner of Uganda ruled by a one-eyed warlord. It’s the brainchild of South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone – hence, you can expect a lot of explicit language – along with Avenue Q and Frozen co-creator Robert Lopez. 

When we first glimpse bone-wielding apes careening around a towering, dark monolith in the opening moments of Stanley Kubrick’s epic film, 2001: A Space Odyssey, we are awestruck and alarmed by its ominous presence. So, too, the vast pier of the West Gate Bridge that dominates the Southbank Theatre’s Sumner Stage during labourer-turned-playwright Dennis McIntosh’s new work, West Gate. Simply but astonishingly realised by set and costume designer Christina Smith, the foreboding presence of this towering structure makes Cassandras of us all. Even as the showering sparks of its creation pierce the dark, with lighting designer Niklas Pajanti working hand in glove with Smith to deploy the lighting rig as construction gantries, we are bitterly aware that it will fall, much like Troy.

When we say Art, this time we mean theatre. This is a chance for fans of Richard Roxburgh, Damon Herriman and Toby Schmitz to see them on stage together, when this award-winning play comes to Melbourne's Comedy Theatre this month. Originally a French play by Yasmina Reza, Art has been translated by Christopher Hampton. The plot goes a little something like this: When one friend buys an absurdly expensive painting, it sets off a hilarious and heartfelt examination of taste, ego and loyalty. Old tensions resurface and a long-standing friendship begins to unravel – all over a piece of modern art.