Actors in Phar Lap: The Electro-Swing Musical
John McRae
John McRae

The best shows to see in Sydney this month

The Emerald City's stages pack no shortage theatrical magic, from big musical spectaculars to uncut indie gems

Avril Treasure
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Let’s dive into the springtime theatrical fun currently on in Sydney.

Forget running – gallop over to Hayes Theatre right now to see the incredible new Australian work, Phar Lap: The Electro-Swing Musical. Written by Steven Kramer and directed by Sheridan Harbridge, this brand-new musical brings a hilarious and talented cast to the stage, telling a rags-to-riches story with a big heart. Expect “tap-dancing horses, domineering jockeys and fanatical horse-girls,” and so much more. It’s on until November 22. Find out more here.

Fancy a dazzling night out? La Ronde is here at Sydney’s Grand Electric, bringing an intoxicating performance of comedy, cabaret and circus to the stage – with a side of cocktails and chaos. From the creators of Blanc de Blanc and Limbo, this exciting new show is sure to deliver glitz, glamour and entertainment. Find out more here.

Great Scott! Back to the Future: The Musical is now playing at Sydney Lyric, so round up your fellow movie buffs and enjoy a blast from the past. As our reviewer says: "And if you think they couldn’t get the DeLorean to do that final scene of the movie? Well…you’ll have to go and see for yourself." Find out more here.

Ready to rock? Rent has landed at the Opera House, bringing ’90s energy, raw emotion and New York vibes to the Sydney stage. The performance by every cast member is a standout. Find out more here.

Tongue-in-cheek musical The Book of Mormon is on at Sydney's Capitol Theatre – and it’s jam-packed with “did they really just say that?” humour. Bring your mate, bring yourself – but maybe leave your nan (and your kid) at home for this one. Find out more here.

The Edit, on now at Belvoir Theatre until October 26, takes a deep dive into the sugary and dark world of reality television. Developed from Gabrielle Scawthorn’s acclaimed podcast Back From Reality and workshopped in the UK with support from Arts Council England and the National Theatre Studio, the show examines the human cost of entertainment and fame. Find out more here.

Keep on the dark side with The Addams Family, now showing at Sydney’s new Teatro at the Italian Forum. It runs until October 26. Prepare to be spooked (and to laugh). Find out more here.

Bring your boots – Calamity Jane is on at the Sydney Opera House from now until November 16 (more here).

Looking towards the end of October, The Lovers lands at the Theatre Royal Sydney on October 31. It’s said to be romantic, rebellious and irresistibly fun – and is set to be a biggie. Get ready to fall in love with this Aussie take on a Shakespearean classic. Find out more here.

Scroll on for the best musicals, plays and more to see in Sydney this month.

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The best musicals, plays and more to see in Sydney this month

  • Musicals
  • Sydney
  • 5 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

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. This version of Calamity Jane is full of well-earned heart, as well as brilliantly orchestrated pantomime-esque delights. You’ll find yourself yelling from the saloon seats and smiling all the way up to your ears. Go for the cowboys, the fabulous performers, the beautiful close harmonies and banjos in the country ballad ‘Black Hills of Dakota’ – and stay long after the post-wedding sing-along has ended. Take your mum, your best friend, the love of your life – hell, you can even take a stranger you found in the Windy City. Just don’t forget your boots, partner.

Charlotte Smee
Charlotte Smee
Contributor
  • Darling Harbour
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

Great Scott! All the way from 1985 to 1955 and now 2025, Sydney has landed the opening of mega-movie musical Back to the Future: The Musical, complete with a superb ensemble, captivating visual effects and enough nostalgia to power a time-travelling DeLorean. For full transparency, Back to the Future is one of my favourite films of all time. Growing up watching Michael J. Fox’s Marty McFly and Christopher Lloyd’s Dr. Emmett Brown travel through time across three films was a large part of my movie-watching childhood. So when it was announced that it would be getting a high-octane staging, I was both ecstatic and sceptical. However, like the show’s original writer (and now the musical’s) Bob Gale said, “we’re not going to do this unless we can do it right”. Thankfully, of the musical version I can safely say – to borrow from the Doc – “IT WORKS!”

Justin Clarke
Justin Clarke
Contributor
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  • Musicals
  • Sydney
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

Nearly 30 years after it burst onto Broadway, Rent remains a landmark. It won four Tony Awards and a Pulitzer Prize, but its true legacy lies in how it blew open Broadway’s doors to the misfits, bringing ’90s rock, raw emotion and the gritty diversity of real New York life to the stage. It didn’t just reflect a generation, it shaped one. For theatre kids like me, Jonathan Larson’s words were the ones we belted backstage and found ourselves in. And it wasn’t just us, Rent inspired Lin-Manuel Miranda to write In the Heights and paved the way for the Glee generation: a wave of fans and artists who saw musical theatre as urgent, inclusive and unapologetically cool. Now, Opera Australia is reigniting that spark for a new generation with a bold, heart-filled production.

Vaanie Krishnan
Vaanie Krishnan
Contributor
  • Musicals
  • Haymarket
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Recommended

As I’m on my way to Sydney's Capitol Theatre for the new Australian production of The Book of Mormon, my friend tells me it’s the very first musical a lot of people see. Created by South Park duo Trey Parker and Matt Stone (with Robert Lopez), the show’s reputation for extremely irreverent jabs at religion draws a non-traditional theatre crowd. What I now realise my friend didn’t mean was, “it’s often the first musical kids see”. When I say the musical is extremely irreverent, I mean it. The humour is crass, verging on grotesque (some things I wouldn’t dare repeat). So it’s probably questionable that I’ve brought along my 13-year-old son with me. That said, he loves it.

Alice Ellis
Alice Ellis
Editor in Chief, Sydney, Melbourne, Australia
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