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Comeback Reimagines The Theatre Experience

13/07/2026 Breaking News

This August, Goodwood Theatre & Studios invites audiences to experience theatre differently with the launch of COMEBACK Festival 2026, an exciting new festival where audiences are invited to see two incredible shows in one night, enjoy a home-cooked meal and drink on us, and connect through conversation in a shared theatrical experience.

Running across three curated weeks in August 2026, COMEBACK reimagines the traditional theatre-going experience as something immersive, social, and deeply human. More than simply seeing a show, audiences are encouraged to settle in for an evening of storytelling, reflection, and connection – sharing supper and drinks between performances while engaging in conversations sparked by the work.

These are productions that have already captivated audiences, award-winning works, sold-out seasons, and unforgettable performances that deserve a second life. COMEBACK exists to celebrate exceptional independent theatre and bring it back to the stage for new audiences to discover.

“COMEBACK was born from a simple idea: if a production has moved audiences, sparked conversations and demonstrated artistic excellence, why should its journey end after a single season? This festival gives artists the support to return, grow and reach new audiences.” – Simone Avramidis, Artistic Director – Goodwood Theatre & Studios

Week One: Tender, Powerful & Deeply Felt
The festival opens with an emotionally rich pairing featuring Wilde & Darling Productions Goddess Era alongside Alix Kuijpers’ i know the end.

Goddess Era draws inspiration from women of Ancient Greek mythology in a haunting and emotionally resonant exploration of identity, power, and womanhood. Paired with I Know the End, Alix Kuijpers’ award-winning queer coming-of-age dance theatre work exploring intimacy and connection, audiences are invited into a deeply tender evening that lingers long after the curtain falls.

This is a week for feeling deeply and one audience won’t regret experiencing.

Week Two: Playful, Bold & Unexpected
Week two shifts’ gears with an energetic and immersive double bill. Danielle Lim and Sam Lau, present an adaptation of Bang On The Nerve: A Modern Asian-Australian Adaptation, originally written by Van Badman, paired with Zero Theatre’s Have Sex With Me, Please.

Expect laughter, surprise, and audience participation as the evening embraces playfulness, intimacy, and bold theatricality.

With supper and drinks shared between performances, audiences become part of the action in a vibrant and unforgettable night out.

Week Three: Experimental, Fresh & Fearlessly Honest
Closing the festival is a beautifully fresh and thought-provoking week featuring Deus Ex Femina’s All the Things I Couldn’t Say and Billie-Rose Russell in partnership with Dead Darling Theatre presenting All Grown Up (but not really).

This final week celebrates emerging voices and fearless storytelling offering audiences a moving and memorable conclusion to the COMEBACK season.

More Than Theatre
Coinciding with the SALA Festival, Goodwood Theatre & Studios will also transform into a vibrant visual arts hub, featuring works by incredible local and award-winning artists Bianca Joanna Buliga and Pat Smith, filling the venue walls with colour, story, and heart.

COMEBACK is a new way of delivering theatre, where audiences become part of the story and artists are supported to thrive. By pairing performances, creating opportunities for conversation, and fostering connection between artists and audiences, the festival creates a dynamic environment for cross-pollination, community, and cultural engagement.

Proudly supported by CreateSA, COMEBACK is an important investment in South Australia’s next generation of artistic leaders and supporting emerging companies to revisit successful work, reconnect with audiences, and continue developing brave, independent theatre.

A night of theatre, food & connection awaits.
See two shows. Share a meal. Stay for the conversation.

COMEBACK Festival
13-30 August 2026
Goodwood Theatre & Studios

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Sass, Frustration, And Glitter

03/07/202603/07/2026 Nicole V🥉

Dracula, A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really Rating

★★★★★

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CONTENT WARNINGS: This show may contain flashing lights and themes of violence, predatory or abusive behaviour, and suicide that some may find frightening or distressing.

As you walk into the Little Theatre at Adelaide University, black and red decorations adorn the front room, consisting of fake spider webs, roses, and more. Meanwhile, in the theatre, rock music, the silhouette of an imposing castle, and a handwritten version of the Lord’s Prayer are waiting.

You may agree with the opening line of the director’s note in the program: “Vampires. They’ve been done to death.” But this performance of Dracula shows that Vampires have a way of implanting themselves into our minds and evolving to slip into our culture. “Dracula, A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really,” is full of sass, female frustration, excellent era-appropriate outfits, great accents, and well-timed jokes.

The cast has an easy familiarity with one another, leading to complementary performances which feel natural – you won’t find any awkward deliveries, wooden lines, or mis-timed jokes in this performance. Every line is delivered with precision, consistent accents (unless they’re not meant to be), and a strong projection that reaches the back rows. The accompanying music did not overwhelm the performers, was well-suited for the performance, and found a solid balance between traditional gothic Dracula and current day music.

As this was opening night, there were a couple of hiccups with lighting cues, but all were quickly rectified and well covered – I’m not entirely convinced they were hiccups, but rather well-planned timing. Otherwise, the lighting was spot-on across the performance, with clever use of red lights, spotlights, and lanterns. The lighting team did a wonderful job playing with shadows as they were needed, and assisting in building the ambience of the show.

The stagehands deserve their own moment in the spotlight, too. They snuck on stage between scenes, cleaned, found dropped jewellery, and efficiently moved heavy-looking furniture with relative ease in the near darkness. A job well done to keep the performance moving seamlessly.

With a stage in a semi-circle, the sets were simple, with every item carefully planned and chosen for its moment on stage. The only concern I had was for the performers’ knees as they slid in and out of the bed. Not enough to distract from the performance, though. The sets are simple but telling enough that the audience don’t find themselves guessing where they are at any point, but can fill in some of the gaps for the missing parts (windows, walkways, and the like) for themselves.

Audiences are reminded and advised that Dracula is a dark story, and this performance is no different. The performance does not hold back from raw emotions; screaming and shouting are not off the table for this enthralling performance. If you choose a front row seat, don’t be surprised if your shoes have a little glitter on them as you leave.

To book tickets to Dracula, A Feminist Revenge Fantasy, Really, please visit http://www.trybooking.com/DMMKT.

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Emily Granger Solo Harp Album Launch Tour – 13 June 2026 UKARIA Cultural Centre

14/06/202614/06/2026 Rob McKinnon🥉

Emily Granger Solo Harp Album Launch Tour Rating

★★★★★

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Review: Emily Granger Solo Harp Album Launch Tour – 13 June 2026 UKARIA Cultural Centre

With the huge windows of the UKARIA Cultural Centre which look over the Centre’s beautifully sculptured garden onto the picturesque landscape of the Mount Barker Summit as background, Emily Granger delighted the audience with an angelic program of music from her stunning new album for ABC Classic, ‘A Thing of Beauty’.

Growing up in Kansas City she began learning to play the harp at age 12. Now Australian based, she has performed recitals in Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center appearing with the Chicago, Sydney, and Tasmanian Symphony Orchestras. Amongst many, many other things, in 2023 she was appointed Principal Harp with the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. She is also on the faculty at the Queensland Conservatorium of Music and a member of Ensemble Q. In 2021, she released her first solo album, “In Transit” which was a “Featured Album” on ABC Classic and 2MBS Fine Music Sydney. She followed this up with her second album, “Something Like This,” with flautist Sally Walker in 2023.

Granger explained that the new album began to come together after she commissioned a piece for harp from South Australian composer Hillary Kleining which was entitled “A Thing of Beauty”, and after hearing this piece, it became clear what the new album would be and how it would sound.

The program by all Australian women composers, included newly commissioned brilliant works from Alice Chance, South Australian Anne Cawrse, as well as Hillary Kleinig’s work. Older works from the new album were performed, including the heavenly “Karoola Seasons” by Christina Sonnermann based on four haiku by Hilary Burden. The encore was Deborah Henson Conant’s piece “The Nightingale” which appears on Granger’s album “In Transit”.

Refer below for the full program.

At UKARIA Culture Centre, Granger invited the audience to find some stillness as she gloriously performed her selection of music from her new album, it would be surprising if many did as all became engrossed in her marvellous performance.

Included in the program was the following:

Elena Kats-Chernin – Unsent Love Letters (2016)

Hillary Kleinig – A Thing of Beauty (2025)*

Alice Chance – Emily’s Suite (2025)*
1. Full of Wonder
2. Ballad
3.Chorale

Anne Cawrse – Come to me (2025)*

Ulpia Erdos – Reminiscing (1998)

Margaret Tesch-Muller – Snow and Shadow (2017)

Katy Abbott – Not Just Another Day (2001)

Nat Bartsch – Call and Response (2017)

Tara Minton – Alby’s Lullaby (2015)

Christina Sonnemann – Karoola Seasons (2006)
1. Spring
2. Summer
3. Autumn
4. Winter

Sally Greenaway – Encore di Lirico (2014) & Perhaps Tomorrow (2009)

Encore, Deborah Henson Conant – The Nightingale

*World Premieres

“A Thing of Beauty” is out on 3 July 2026 on ABC Classic.

Information, ticketing & album orders: https://emilygranger.com/a-thing-of-beauty

A Thing of Beauty Tour Schedule:

• Melbourne Tuesday 7 July 7pm at Melbourne Recital Centre, Primrose Potter Salon
• Sydney Monday 13 July 7pm at Sydney Opera House, Utzon Room
• Tyalgum Sunday 27 September 10am at Tyalgum Music Festival

To book tickets to Emily Granger Solo Harp Album Launch Tour , please visit https://emilygranger.com/a-thing-of-beauty.

Photographer: Chloe Ireland

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The Butler Did It!

30/05/2026 Nicole V🥉

The Butler Did It! Rating

★★★★★

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The Butler Did It!

Or did he?

The Covington family are expecting their long-time friend and famous mystery novelist, Edwina Corry, over for dinner. What they didn’t expect was their neighbour and the local priest inviting themselves over … and becoming mixed up in a classic whodunnit. With a full house, everyone is a suspect, and everyone knows the classic trope – the butler always does it.

The mystery unfolds in the lush living room of the Covington’s mansion; the beautifully crafted and well-considered set provides ample room for the characters to dramatically point fingers at one another without stabbing (too many) backs. Even the exits through the doorways leading offstage have their own backdrop, which is a wonderful and thoughtful addition from the designer. The set has been well-considered, with no space left unused, and the fireplace the only space that is covered by furniture (but that’s not a drawback since anyone who stands near it during the investigation is certainly tall enough to be seen).

With lighting that plays with the space of the set and timing of the investigation it is consistent, doesn’t overwhelm the stage or performers, and is perfectly apt for the mood of the play. The only comment would be that seeing more of the red spotlight would’ve been a welcome addition to the dialogue.

As the curtain rises, and through the opening scene, a rain track plays in the background; this masks some of the performers’ lines until the rain subsides. Beyond this scene, the performers’ voices are clear, projecting their lines through the audience brilliantly, and interacting with one another very naturally. Accents are a tricky thing to maintain, and the cast showcases their skills – there are some inconsistencies, but a whole lot of work and obvious passion. The music expertly blends with the rest of the scenes, and adds to a fun layer of emphasis at key moments in the investigation.

Director Brian Godfrey and the production team show their clear passion for the theatre with every detail, from the chandelier on the set ceiling to each character’s aptly-chosen shoes; joy seeps from every pore of this production, even from Gram – the surprise performer who is sure to add some amusement to every scene she is in.

With well-timed Dad jokes, amusing miscommunication moments, a cast that clearly gets along on and off the stage, The Butler Did It! is a fun whodunnit which may not have such a predictable ending as the title suggests … bring along your deerstalker hat, watch and listen closely for clues, and see if you can figure out who the killer is!

To book tickets to The Butler Did It!, please visit https://teatreeplayers.com/production/the-butler-did-it/.

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