Charlotte Smee

There is a lot happening on Sydney's stages each and every month. But how do you even know where to start? Thankfully, our critics are out road-testing musicals, plays, operas, dance, cabaret and more all year round. Here are their recommendations. Want more culture? Check out the best art exhibitions in Sydney.

Every January, Sydney Festival arrives to kick off the city's arts and culture calendar with a massive helping of shows, gigs and immersive experiences. In 2025, we have an eclectic grab bag of more than 130 things to choose from, including critically-acclaimed productions from overseas (such as a subversive spaghetti western performed in “white face”) and wild new work from local artists (including the premiere of an unauthorised opera about Siegfried and Roy) in addition to some phenomenal live music in beautiful spaces. So, what are the performances that you absolutely cannot miss? And which ones will we still be ranting about for years to come? Time Out Sydney's squadron of independent critics are on the case, and they’re out there seeing as many shows as they possibly can this January. You can see our 13 top picks for the best shows to see during Syd Fest '25 over here, and check out our rolling list of festival reviews below. (Note: These “mini reviews” are shorter than the critical commentary that we typically publish, but they still offer honest, rigorous observations and critiques from reliable theatre enthusiasts and live music veterans.)

Hey Sydney, wanna get weird? The Sydney Fringe Festival (aka the state’s largest independent arts festival) is painting the town pink for the month of September – with 400 events spilling across several festival hubs, from grand stages to Spiegeltents, to gardens of delight and pop-up stages in unusual spaces.  The dynamic program spans theatre, music, comedy, visual art, film, musical theatre, dance, circus, street festivals, literature and poetry. Quite honestly, it’s a lot to take in. But our reliable bright-pink critic is on the case! This month, Charlotte Smee is out and about, checking out some of the most experimental, wonderful and strange shows on the Fringe circuit. Read on for their rolling list of festival highlights, and check out our other festival picks over here. Want more entertainment? Check out our guide to the other shows on Sydney stages.

Opera Australia’s new world-first outdoor production of Carmen is thoroughly ambitious in more ways than one – it aims to give the artform of opera a modern, feminist, punk-rock makeover. The scene is set on a huge industrial stage on Cockatoo Island (a 15-minute ferry ride from the city), complete with dazzling fireworks, motorcycle stunts and pop-up bars. Director Liesel Badorrek places the action in a timeless “rock’n’roll space” that encapsulates rebellion and anti-establishment sentiment. This new production aims to rebel against its problematic past, bringing a new, strong, independent Carmen to the stage – as sung alternately by Opera Australia’s principal mezzo soprano Sian Sharp and Carmen Topciu. As self-professed theatre and opera nerds, Time Out was excited to speak to Badorrek and Sharp about how they’re looking to change the opera game, one rock’n’roll Carmen at a time. First, we had a chat about our mutual love of opera, and theatre, those wonderful, live participatory art forms... What is it that you love about opera?  Sian: When people experience operatic singing unamplified it is a very powerful experience that can really cut you to the quick. There's a connection there that is sometimes not achieved [with other art forms]... the power of the voice to reach out across an orchestra and hit the back wall of a 2,000-seat theatre is quite a feat. Liesel: That combination of the orchestral music and the vocals is so beautiful, it's incredibly powerful emotionally

Most of us know and love the whip-crackin’, brown-leather-pants-wearing character of Calamity Jane from her appearance in the 1953 movie musical of the same name starring Doris Day. This version of her sings like a Disney princess and has perfectly coiffed blonde hair, which is somewhat unrealistic for a woman who dressed in soldier’s uniforms in the 1880s, took responsibility for her six younger siblings, and could outshoot, outdrink and outswear any other man in her hometown of Deadwood, USA. Beloved Australian actor Virginia Gay’s interpretation of the famous Calamity irreverently, lovingly muddies up the too-perfect-movie-musical-version in a brand-new production that is positively stuffed with theatrical treats, now showing at the Opera House. It’s grimy, it’s silly, and the fourth wall is nowhere to be found. It’s also the biggest production since the original staging of this idea, which debuted in 2017 as part of the Neglected Musicals program at Hayes Theatre Co transforming Sydney Opera House’s studio theatre into a grand version of Deadwood’s Golden Garter saloon and theatre. The premise of Calamity Jane is this: Calamity is an unruly local of small-town Deadwood who rides with “Wild” Bill Hickok, and has a hopeless crush on second lieutenant Danny Gilmartin (despite her otherwise masculine appearance, Calamity is still very much a little emotional girl at heart). When the local theatre owner fails to secure a beautiful actress from New York, Calamity vows to bring

Enter the KXT on Broadway theatre, which has been transformed into a brutal and deadly jousting arena. Choose a side, and sit on that side. DO NOT CROSS THE STAGE! THERE ARE SPIKES AND MIRRORS THAT YOU CANNOT STEP ON! Now wait. You’re here for The Anarchy (1138-53). You will be overwhelmed for 2 hours and 15 minutes. You might like it, or you might hate it, or you might choose to leave. None of that’s up to me, but once you’ve seen it, you might like to read something to help you make sense of it. Here is my attempt to write something about it for that purpose, with the caveat that all criticism is somewhat subjective, and nothing is a substitute for going outside and buying a ticket and taking a risk on a brilliant (or awful!) experience. Presented by UK/Australian experimental theatre company Doppelgangster in association with bAKEHOUSE THEATRE COMPANY, and performed by sibling duo Kerith and Tobias Manderson-Galvin, The Anarchy (1138-53) is Part 1 of an odyssey set in the fictional medieval town of Cross Roads. Doppelgangster boasts that their previous works have generated walkouts, physical fights and cancellations, along with cult followings and critical acclaim – and this new presentation proudly channels that rebellious spirit. The Anarchy (1138-53) is something like a DIY punk/garage gig, a role playing game, a Brechtian nightmare, a couple of clowns finding meaning, or a cabaret. But it’s really none of those things either. It repeats and loops in on itself, with not

Some stories are too ridiculous to be fiction. Furious Mattress, a surreal collision of true crime and religious fervour from lauded Australian playwright Melissa Reeves (co-writer of the multi-award-winning Who’s Afraid of the Working Class), is based on one of those stories. In this case, Victorian woman Joan Vollmer was inadvertently killed by her husband Ralph and two of their fundamentalist neighbours as the result of a four-day “exorcism”. Joan’s husband believed she had been possessed by a demon, despite her history with schizophrenia. And no, this didn’t happen in the 1800s, or even the early 1900s – it happened in 1993. A surreal recreation of Joan Vollmer’s story laced with dark humour and a clever circular story structure, Reeves’ play finally makes its highly anticipated Sydney premiere at Belvoir 25a, presented by Legit Theatre Co (Dumb Kids, Misery Loves Company). We begin at the end, with husband Pierce and his pious neighbour Anna praying and singing over the suspiciously still body of his wife, Else. What follows is the sometimes terrifying, sometimes hilarious attempt to rid Else’s body of demons – at first depicted in a naturalist style, and then warping and melding into unreality.  Pierce (Julian Garner) and Anna (Alex Malone) are both played with a heightened sense of Australiana: broad accents, dry humour, and constant observations of the heat. Meanwhile, plumber-turned-exorcist Max (Shan-Ree Tan) is gruff and awful, and his vulnerability quickly becomes

Tanya and Annie are in love. Tanya and Annie are terribly young. Tanya and Annie met in jail. Their love story is certainly not a fairy tale, and there aren’t many people around to teach them the best way to take care of each other. But in spite of the unloving world they live in, Tanya and Annie make a pact to love each other. They make plans – to get a house, to go somewhere new, maybe even to get a dog – but only after they’ve made a little money. But when Tanya finds herself back in jail, Annie latches onto Lorenzo. Lorenzo claims to love Annie, but he might be more in love with the drugs she brings him. Patricia Cornelius (Do Not Go Gentle), multi-award-winning playwright and founding member of Melbourne Workers Theatre, brings her signature knack for sparse, direct, and quietly poetic dialogue to this uncomfortable love triangle.  Penned in 2004, Love is an understated play that tells a story about people who aren’t usually given a place on Australian stages, leaving the audience to form their own opinions or judgements. 21 years later, Megan Sampson directs this new production presented by New Ghosts Theatre Company, which slides into the Late Night slot at the Old Fitz (alongside another piercing story of class struggle, Iphigenia in Splott, in the Mainstage session). The piece is as important and confronting as ever, but working with such a raw, sparse text is a delicate procedure.  Georgia-Paige Theodos plays Tanya, the butch protector, with a quiet devotion, her de

The fathers of modern musical theatre, Gilbert and Sullivan’s very silly (and very clever) songs from over a century ago have influenced everything from modern political parody to the work of Stephen Sondheim and Lin-Manuel Miranda. Their approach to storytelling and grand musical humour included, most importantly: bringing absurd premises to their “logical” conclusions, employing and supporting amateur actors, and parodying important composers and writers of their time in order to make them accessible to middle class punters.  In Sydney, the Hayes Theatre Co brings a similar spirit to its theatremaking – from supporting emerging artists, to providing a place for the modern musical to entertain and provoke larger discussions about the ridiculousness of being alive. So, it makes a lot of sense that Richard Carroll (co-artistic director of the Hayes) would bring us a swashbuckling new take on Gilbert and Sullivan’s most popular operetta (or musical, before musicals were conceived of) – The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Duty.  As director and adaptor, Carroll continues Gilbert and Sullivan’s grand tradition of silliness,  shrinking The Pirates of Penzance down to a very Hayes size, with a plucky cast of just five actors (for reference, most productions would usually have a cast of around 20) – along with some precarious participation from the audience members who find themselves seated amidst the action. The result? A playful, stripped back show that leaves everyone wear

Congratulations to Hadestown, which took out both the Critics' Choice Best Musical and People's Choice Favourite Musical Awards at the 2025 Time Out Sydney Arts & Culture Awards, presented in partnership with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. ***** The genre-defying, multi-award-winning, smash-hit Broadway sensation, Hadestown has finally made its way down to Sydneytown – and it’s unlike any musical you’ve ever seen or heard. With industrial steampunk aesthetics, a soulful jazz-folk fusion, and even a comment on our dying world, this is a brave new world for musical theatre. The Down Under debut of Hadestown opened at the Theatre Royal Sydney to a ready-made fanbase. There’s a lot of hype surrounding this show – the Broadway production picked up eight Tony Awards (including Best Musical for 2019) and still plays to packed houses today, and there’s also the highly successful West End production and the North American tour.  An incisive adaptation of the age-old myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, Hadestown is the brainchild of indie-folk musician Anaïs Mitchell (with very clear influences from Justin Vernon, aka Bon Iver, who appeared on the 2010 studio album). It started its life as a song cycle, and then a studio album, and now it’s a fully-formed stage musical with a dedicated international following. Hadestown is a spectacular challenge to what we think a musical is and can be Like many fans, I discovered Hadestown via the studio album and the Broadway recording. With such a stron

Karen and Martha run a boarding school together, and have known each other since they were 17 years old. Karen is about to marry local doctor Joe, and Martha has never been interested in men. Meanwhile, when troubled young student Mary feels she’s been punished one too many times, she spins a story to her doting grandmother, and this lie turns the whole town against suspected lovers Karen and Martha.  A fascinating piece of queer dramatic history based on a true story, The Children’s Hour was the first play from legendary American playwright Lillian Hellman. It premiered on Broadway in 1934, a time when the mention of homosexuality on stage was illegal in New York State. Despite the fact that it played 691 shows to eager audiences, it was banned from performance in London, Boston and Chicago. This new version directed by Kim Hardwick in the intimate Old Fitz Theatre is compelling and important viewing.  A brilliant and heartbreaking play... Jess Bell is a standout amongst a strong cast of 13 actors – she plays a conflicted and tender Martha with expert detail, right down to her nervous facial expressions and constantly wringing hands. A cast of young schoolgirls also gives brilliant performances alongside their adult counterparts, who can’t seem to grasp their own righteousness.  Setting, lighting and costume design are kept simple, rightfully placing the focus on the emotion of the piece, and the people at the centre of the scandal. The Children’s Hour is a brilliant and h

Director Patrick Kennedy (Sophia=(Wisdom) Part 3: The Cliffs) brings his signature surrealist style to this punk retelling of the 1889 Cleveland Street Scandal from British playwright James Fritz at the New Theatre. The play reimagines the scandal – in which a secret gay brothel, frequented by a number of gentlemen and staffed by post boys, was discovered in 19th-century London – as a collage of scenes between aristocrats, arrested post boy Charlie and his mother Emily, and even glimpses into Queen Victoria’s conversations with God.  This production is stuffed with visual delights – a looming, cartoonish figure of Queen Vic keeps a watchful eye over the play’s events as four video screens keep track of place and time, and a warped Union Jack is slung in the back corner of the stage.  The story is fast-paced (for the most part) and engaging, although it can become somewhat repetitive. The combination of such a rich visual language with hefty dialogue is also a lot to take in, with little room for reprieve during the show’s almost three-hour runtime. Still, this is exciting theatremaking for a Sydney stage, and it is well worth a watch, especially for the unfaithful revisionist approach to our gay history. The Flea is a fitting reminder of queer history, and the struggles we still face, as the Sydney Mardi Gras Festival’s series of cultural events starts to rainbow-ify the city. The Flea is playing at New Theatre, Newtown, until March 8. Find tickets & info over here. Stay in

I’ve never been shy to admit that Elf is my favourite Christmas movie. I first saw the 2003 film at the cinema with my after school drama teacher who needed a child to take to a “kids‘” movie, and I’ve rewatched it almost every year since. It’s a perfect festive treat for many reasons, and much of them can be attributed to Will Ferrell’s endearing performance as the suspiciously-tall Buddy the Elf, and the surprising amount of nuance and heart poured into a story about convincing a bunch of stony-faced New Yorkers to believe in the magic of Santa. It’s a bit of a shame then, to head along to the Australian premiere of Elf: The Musical at the Sydney Opera House with literal bells on, as a musical fanatic, to find that they’ve over-sweetened the syrupy musical numbers, and all but lost the secret sauce that brings depth to the film. Of course, musical-ifying something always requires a certain degree of glitz, and this production is endearing in its own way – but unfortunately, Elf: The Musical makes some unimaginative choices, which can leave you with an artificially-sweet aftertaste. The book, by Bob Martin and Thomas Meehan, removes Papa Elf from the cast of characters (the lovable old elf who “forgot” to have children, and raised Buddy as his own) and instead has Santa Claus narrate the story. As Santa kicks off the show, there are hints that we may be in for some meta-theatrical, interactive panto fun. However, this isn’t developed any further, and Santa’s distaste for his

Navigating conversations with your parents at Christmastime can be difficult for a whole host of reasons. You might find it so difficult, in fact, that you’ve decided not to talk to your parents at all. In Snowflake from British playwright Mike Bartlett (Albion), this is what Maya (Claudia Elbourne) has decided to do for the past three years in a row. But this Christmas, she's coming home. However, Maya’s side of the story isn’t the first thing we hear. In a clever twist, Bartlett focuses on Maya’s father, Andy (James Lugton, as seen in Aussie television’s The Twelve). Andy tells us about all the reasons he thinks Maya could have left:his wife’s recent passing, his impulsive decision to throw out all the Christmas decorations in a grief-stricken panic, and his inability to talk to her about a whole host of things. He also shows us all the effort he’s put in to welcome Maya back: hiring the town hall, covering it in Christmas decorations, and even making a model of their family home. It’s a great narrative device that gently brings you into the world of the play, humanising Andy at the same time. Lugton plays Andy with a gruff charm that quickly makes you forget you’re supposed to hate this estranged father figure.  Jo Bradley deftly directs this production, and in the first monologue scenes she brings a great variety by placing Lugton at various levels of the town hall, and using subtle lighting changes to assist changes in mood or pacing. Set design by Soham Apte is similarl

Ah, the Titanic. An unsinkable cultural icon, the “Ship of Dreams” has appeared in almost as many movies and stage productions as the songs of Canada’s queen of the power ballad, Céline Dion. It’s even got a two-and-a-half-hour (surprisingly serious) movie musical adaptation based on Maury Yeston’s Titanic: the Musical. Although, none can hold a candle to the cultural impact of James Cameron’s 1997 blockbuster – you know, the one with Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. So, with nostalgia being such hot property right now, it was only a matter of time before we got the camp-as-hell musical fantasia made-for-and-by-the-gays that is Titanique. Created by Marla Mindelle (who originated the role of Céline Dion – well, as imagined in this show), Constantine Rousouli (who originated the role of Jack) and director Tye Blue (whose countless industry credits include working on the casting team of RuPaul’s Drag Race), Titanique is revisionist history at its best. Loaded with Céline Dion’s greatest bangers, it casts Queen Dion herself (played so wonderfully by cabaret legend Marney McQueen here in Aus) as the narrator of the tragic tale, who continuously places herself at the center of the action – quite literally – much to Jack and Rose’s repeated dismay. It brings the campness of the film to the front, with Stephen Anderson (Mary Poppins) playing Rose’s awful mother Ruth (complete with a bird’s nest headpiece), and Abu Kebe (Choirboy) playing a brilliant, tear-jerking drag parody of T

Note, November 2023: Meraki Arts Bar closed in October 2023, about a year after it opened. In a statement posted to social media, the co-founders said: “It is with great sadness and heartache that we announce the closure of Meraki Arts Bar. The current real estate landscape of Oxford Street and pressure from our Landlord have combined to make continuing too great a risk for ourselves and all upcoming artists..." If you’ve ever complained about the not-so-great drinks on offer in most theatres, gig venues and arts spaces around Sydney, Meraki Arts Bar has you sorted. Bartender and actor Kieran Took has teamed up with the artistic director of Brave New Word Theatre Company Luke Holmes, feminist director Margaret Thanos and venue manager Bertie Boekemann to bring a new theatre/gig venue/art gallery/casual dining space to Oxford Street. It boasts a jam-packed events calendar, including independent theatre, drag trivia, live jazz, burlesque, late-night comedy, art shows and even magic shows. On the first floor sits the Gallery Lounge, a cosy cocktail lounge with a tiny gallery wall for peering at from your table or inspecting while your date pops to the bathroom. Later in the evening, they might even clear out the tables to make way for a dancefloor. The second floor hosts the Gig Bar, an intimate spot for busting your best moves with delicious beer in hand and bands of all descriptions taking to the red velvet hemmed stage. The Green Room and the MainStage live on the uppermost

Time Out Sydney loves hearing about new experiences in the city. In fact, we were one of the original supporters of the Live at Yours concert series, which began as intimate 20-person concerts. Vladimir Fanshil, a Ukrainian-born Australian conductor and artistic director, and his wife Eleanor Lyons, a soprano, began the series together in 2020, and have since expanded it to a range of venues across Australia. Photograph: SuppliedVladimir Fanshil A recent study by Live Performance Australia shows that in 2024, revenue for Australia’s classical music grew 14.5 per cent, and attendance was up 7.6 per cent, hitting highs not seen for nearly a decade. The growth was attributed to unique experiences of classical music, like Live at Yours, and music that included popular or other music as part of the program. Another study by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 2022 found 65 per cent of people under 35 regularly listened to orchestral music, which is more than their parents' generation. Vladimir is embracing this heightened interest from young people in classical music with both hands, welcoming them to his inventive, intimate and exciting concert experience that challenges the notions of what a classical performance can be. We sat down to talk to Vladimir about what the future of classical music performance looks like with Live at Yours. Live at Yours has a large audience of young people, around 30 per cent of all ticket sales. Tell us about how you support young people to come a