The best theatre to see in Sydney this week

Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in London has become a home for staggering visuals and reimaginings of classic musicals. The most recent touring production of Jesus Christ Superstar arrived with rave reviews and award-winning performances from its electrifying revival of the rock musical. Now, Fiddler on the Roof gets its turn for a facelift at Theatre Royal Sydney, with a backing from a stellar team whose work covers Olivier and Tony Award-winning productions.  What is the premise of Fiddler on the Roof? It’s 1905 in the fictional shtetl of Anatevka set in Tsarist Russia, twelve years before the Russian Revolution of 1917. A ghostly rise of the curtain sees Ben Adler’s Fiddler on a flat-roofed stage, the name of the village faces backwards towards the band sitting behind a high row of wheat fields. Tevye, a Jewish milkman, leads his family by their proud traditions. This means a loyal wife, visits to the matchmaker, five obedient daughters, and daily conversations with God. But this is a time of change, his daughters wish to break away from the closed community’s traditions amidst the backdrop of a changing world.  Throughout, we see more than just Tevye’s family dynamics needing to grapple with forces far greater than Anatevka can withstand.  Who are the cast and crew of Fiddler on the Roof? Jordan Fein’s direction gives ample scope for spectacle, particularly when Julian Cheng’s choreography is placed front and centre – the high-energy traditional dances are the show’s...

The opening note of ‘The Circle of Life’ may just be one of the most recognisable in a Disney musical. If you don’t agree, then you may have to convince the entire theatre-going audience who were at Disney’s The Lion King on opening night. The full house’s roars could be heard all the way out of the Capitol Theatre’s front doors as the king of musicals triumphantly returns to Sydney – the first time in more than a decade. What type of show is The Lion King? It’s called The King of Musicals for a reason. If it’s not Elton John’s iconically recognisable music, or Tim Rice’s lyrics you’ve sung over a late-night karaoke session, then its Roger Allers and Irene Mecchi’s book featuring the characters you love, the characters you hate, and the ones you undoubtedly cry over – tears were definitely still shed during that scene. What’s so beautiful about The Lion King is the blurring of worlds and culture that merges in between all of these. Julie Taymor’s directorial conception blends African culture, language, movement and costume underneath masks and puppetry of the animal characters. Mufasa’s “crown” is a stoic, strong and towering headdress. The elegant lionesses soar and leap through the sky through Garth Fagan’s choreography as wing-like gowns flow behind them. The animals of Pride Rock are adorned with larger-than-life puppets of intricate designs and architecture: a re-engineered bicycle becomes leaping antelope, birds fly above the crowd on poles manipulated by performers,...

Ever wonder what goes on behind the closed doors of Parliament House? Housework, a bold political satire, pulls back the curtain on the backroom deals, personal dramas and ruthless ambition that fuel political life in Canberra. Written by Emily Steel and directed by Shannon Rush, this black comedy by Sydney Theatre Company stars Susie Youssef (Deadloch) as first-time MP Ruth Mandour, alongside Emily Taheny (Mad as Hell) as her overworked chief of staff, Anna Cooper and media personality Indira Naidoo who is making her STC debut.  Steel drew on conversations with politicians, political staff and parliamentary workers while researching the play, particularly exploring the experiences of women navigating Australian politics. With sex scandals and secrets, motherhood and manipulation, culture wars and chaos thrown into the mix, the play offers a telling glimpse into the machinations of Australian politics. Following its Adelaide season, Housework arrives at the Sydney Opera House’s Drama Theatre from September 5 to October 17, promising a whip-smart sprint through the corridors of power. Get your tickets here. RECOMMENDED:  Here’s what’s on in Sydney this weekend Our list of the best theatre to see in Sydney this month Sydney's most famous building is set for major event reforms

Dust off your sequins – a glittery-as-heck night of disco, circus and cabaret is taking over the Sydney Opera House this winter. Showing in the Studio from July 24 to September 13, Velvet Inferno is the very sparkly new evolution of the hit Australian production Velvet, promising wildly impressive acrobatics, powerhouse vocals and a solid soundtrack of disco anthems. The brilliant Marcia Hines will own the role of The Diva, with beloved multidisciplinary star Brendan Maclean taking on the fan-favourite role of Country Mike. Joining the Velvet family for the first time is singer-songwriter KYE as Gloria, whose coming-of-age story unfolds beneath a sparkling Studio 54-inspired mirrorball. The circus line-up is just as impressive. Expect next-level hula-hooping from Craig "Hula Boy" Reid, the Australian debut of Ukrainian roller-skating duo Duo Stardust, plus terrifyingly impressive aerial performances from Oleg Tatarynov and Zoe Marshall. Hyper-talented vocalists Emma Feliciano and Mateja Sardelis round out the cast. Soundtracked by disco classics including It's Raining Men, If You Could Read My Mind and No More Tears (Enough Is Enough), Velvet Inferno reunites the original creative team behind the global hit: director Craig Ilott, musical director Joe Accaria and choreographer Amy Campbell. More than a decade after Velvet first wowed audiences, the production continues to tour internationally, with an ongoing residency in Hamburg. Tickets start at $49.90. You can learn more...

Theatre fans, take note. Sydney Theatre Company – Sydney’s largest and most prominent theatre producer – has just dropped the details for its 2026 season. The beautifully varied 2026 season will comprise 13 productions, with more than 80 beloved and emerging performers set to take to the stage throughout the year. Following Kip Williams' departure from the company, the 2026 season will be the first curated by new Artistic Director Mitchell Butel, who joined STC in late 2025. Reflecting on what theatre-goers can expect in 2026, Butel described the 2026 program as a "season of dream teams: celebrating the diversity of Australian storytelling. Highlights from STC’s 2026 season will include three world premieres of brand-new Australian works, the Australian Premiere of the most awarded Broadway play of 2025, the Sydney premiere of a new Australian musical and a handful of other Australian and international plays. If you’re keen to see something new, get in line for the season’s key world premieres: Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical (from award-winning writer and director Jack Yabsley), Bennelong in London (by Jane Harrison, the brilliant playwright behind The Visitors and Stolen) and Strong is the New Pretty by Olivier Award-winning playwright Suzie Miller. Bennelong in London will be showing from July 24 until August 16 2026, Strong is the New Pretty will be playing from October 26 until December 5 2026, and Whispering Jack: The John Farnham Musical will be showing...

Society’s definition of success has long been measured in the currencies of wealth, status, power and prestige. The threads of capitalism are so deeply woven into the fabric of our lives that we can sometimes mistake power for responsibility, prestige for accountability and influence for merit. It is a particularly pertinent distinction at a moment when the world’s most powerful democracy is once again led by a businessman, and popularity, power and status are increasingly treated as interchangeable with competence, responsibility and merit. What is the premise of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying? It is within this uncomfortable landscape that How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, which premiered on Broadway in 1961, could find renewed relevance. The musical follows J. Pierrepont Finch (Jake Speer), an ambitious young window cleaner who uses a self-help book to manipulate his way into a job at the World Wide Wicket Company and climb the corporate ladder. As he becomes entangled with Rosemary Pilkington (Georgia Laga’aia), rival Bud Frump (Max Macdonald) and company president J. B. Biggley (Simon Burke), Finch’s increasingly audacious schemes satirise workplace politics, unchecked ambition and the uncomfortable reality of success in a world that rewards the shameless and self-interested. What are the highlights of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying? The production shows considerable promise from the outset. Director and...