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Little Squirt At Bondi Pavilion

Feature-Little Squirt

The multi-award-winning hit musical cabaret Little Squirt comes to Bondi Fest at Bondi Pavilion for three nights.

Following an international tour, writer and musical comedian Darby James returns to Sydney with his heartfelt and hilarious one-man musical comedy exploring sperm donation, queer parenthood, and unconventional pathways to starting a family.

LITTLE SQUIRT
WINNER Somewhere For Us Magazine Fringe Award 2025
WINNER Green Room Award 2024 for Outstanding Production 2024
WINNER Green Room Award 2024 for Outstanding Direction 2024
WINNER Green Room Award 2024 for Outstanding Writing 2024
WINNER Edinburgh Touring Award, Melbourne Fringe 2023
WINNER Best Cabaret, Melbourne Fringe 2023

Venue: Bondi Pavilion, Seagull Cabaret Hall
Dates: Thursday, 16 July 2026 – Saturday 18 July 2026
Time: 7PM (60 mins)
Tickets: https://www.bondifestival.com.au/event/little-squirt/

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When Darby responds to a Facebook advertisement seeking sperm donors, he finds himself navigating genetic questionnaires and confronting existential questions about parenthood, identity, and the future of the planet. Blending sharp humour with emotional depth, Little Squirt invites audiences to consider what it means to create life in an uncertain world.

Featuring 12 original songs, Little Squirt is written and performed by Darby James and directed and dramaturged by Casey Gould. Since its premiere, the production has won three Green Room Awards, including Best Cabaret, and received the Edinburgh Touring Award at Melbourne Fringe 2023. The award launched a successful international journey, with seasons at Edinburgh Fringe, London, Aberdeen and Dublin. Praised by audiences and critics, Little Squirt offers a moving and deeply personal perspective on procreation, legacy and belonging.

Little Squirt is produced in partnership with Quiet RIOT, the boutique production company founded by producer Linda Catalano (Hot Brown Honey, BATSHIT, Dangerous Goods).

“Unexpected, thought-provoking and bursting with heart”
★★★★ The List

“Profane but profound…James is a winning, engaging performer”
★★★★ The Scotsman

“Everything you can really want and need from a musical comedy”
★★★★ A Young(ish) Perspective

“Impressively delivered…left the stage to bellowing cheers and foot stamping”
★★★★ Entertainment Now

“Delivered with such raw honesty and passion that there were tears in my eyes…a beautiful piece of work”
★★★★★ Musical Theatre Review

“An edge of your seat hour…if it comes to a theatre near you – GO!”
Theatre Travels

Website: www.darbyjames.com/littlesquirt

Creative Team:
Written and Performed by Darby James
Direction and Dramaturgy by Casey Gould
Set and Costume Design by Betty Auhl
Executive Producer Linda Catalano
Technical Operation Tyler Fitzpatrick

Age Recommendation and Content Warnings: 14+, Scenes of a sexual nature, strong language/swearing

 

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Comeback Reimagines The Theatre Experience

Feature-COMEBACK Festival 2026

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.

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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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Musical Comedy Sensation Pride And Prejudice* (*sort Of) Opens This Week

Feature-Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of)

The Australian tour of the musical comedy Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) arrives in Sydney this week after an acclaimed and sold out season in Melbourne. Opening on Thursday at the Sydney Opera House’s Drama Theatre, the show is “an exuberant reinvention that celebrates Austen’s wit while gleefully dismantling convention.” (Australian Arts Review)

Five performers portray the iconic roles of Elizabeth Bennet, Mr Darcy, Jane Bennet, Charles Bingley, Mr and Mrs Bennet and all other characters – Amy Lehpamer (& Juliet, The Sound of Music), Zoe Ioannou (Grease, Hairspray), Kaori Maeda-Judge (White Pearl, Little Women), recent graduate of QUT Ruby Shannon and Teo Vergara (Jagged Little Pill, Converted!).

“Cleverly reinterprets the Regency tale of love and class with modern sensibilities, humour and karaoke” – Limelight
“An inventive, joyful and brilliantly performed theatrical experience” – The Scoop
“The energy of the performances, and the wit of the storytelling will sweep you away… not to be missed” – Stage Whispers
“A hilarious and joyful night at the theatre… a rare gem” – Australian Stage

“It has been a long-held dream to undertake this tour with our take on Austen’s masterpiece,” said writer and original director Isobel McArthur. “This show is a true celebration of love and romance so, now that the match-making is done, I cannot wait to watch Pride & Prejudice* (sort of) and Sydney audiences fall head over heels for each other.”

Kaori Maeda-Judge , Teo Vergara, Ruby Shannon, Zoe Ioannou PRIDEANDPREJUDICESORTOF_PRODSHOTS_ Credit Matthew Chen (9).jpg
Zoe Ioannou, Amy Lehpamer, Teo Vergara PRIDEANDPREJUDICESORTOF_PRODSHOTS_ Credit Matthew Chen (8).jpg

Direct from its triumph in the West End where it won the Olivier Award for Best Comedy, Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) is a unique and audacious retelling of Jane Austen’s most iconic love story. Men, money and microphones are fought over in this irreverent but affectionate adaptation where the stakes couldn’t be higher when it comes to romance.

This “smart, laugh out loud funny” (Daily Telegraph) show features a string of pop classics including Young Hearts Run Free, Will You Love Me Tomorrow and You’re So Vain. Coming to Australia for the first time, these five fearless women bring Austen’s world of love, class and chaos to life with heart, humour and unstoppable energy in this modern take on one of the world’s most adapted pieces of literature.

www.prideandprejudicesortof.com.au

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE* (*sort of)
By Isobel McArthur after Jane Austen
Original production directed by Isobel McArthur
Co-Director Simon Harvey
Produced by Neil Gooding Productions and Woodward Productions by arrangement with David Pugh Limited

SYDNEY SEASON DETAILS (Presented by Sydney Opera House)
Venue: Drama Theatre, Sydney Opera House
Season: 16 July – 30 August
Performance Times: Tues-Sun 7pm, Wed & Sat 2pm, Sun 1 or 2pm (times vary weekly)
Prices: From $69 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/theatre/pride-prejudice-sort-of or (02) 9250 7777
Groups 8+ call (02) 9250 7777

WOLLONGONG (Presented by Merrigong Theatre Company)
Venue: IMB Theatre, IPAC
Season: 2-13 September
Performance Times: Tue 6.30pm, Wed-Thurs 6:30 or 7:30pm, Fri-Sat 7:30pm, Thurs 11am, Sat & Sun 1:30pm (times vary weekly)
Prices: From $84 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: merrigong.com.au or (02) 4224 5999

CANBERRA
Venue: Canberra Theatre, Canberra Theatre Centre
Season: 16-27 September
Performance Times: Tues 6:30pm, Wed-Sat 7:30pm, Wed, Sat & Sun 1:30pm, Sun 6:30pm (times vary weekly)
Prices: From $65.90 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: canberratheatrecentre.com.au or (02) 6275 2700

BRISBANE
Venue: Playhouse Theatre, QPAC
Season: 30 September – 18 October
Performance Times: Tues-Thurs 7pm, Fri-Sat 7:30pm, Wed, Thurs & Sat 2pm, Sun 3pm (times vary weekly)
Prices: From $65 (Transaction fees apply)
Bookings: qpac.com.au or phone 136 246

 

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The Addams Family Officially Opens Tomorrow Night At Hayes Theatre

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Tomorrow night, the gates of the family crypt creak open as The Addams Family officially opens at Hayes Theatre, inviting Sydney audiences to embrace the delightfully dreadful, gloriously gothic musical comedy that proves every family has its skeletons. After weeks of raising the dead (and rehearsing), the cast is ready to unleash a production that’s wickedly funny, hauntingly heartfelt, and just the right amount of unhinged. Tickets are selling quickly at www.hayestheatre.com.au

At the heart of this gloriously gothic household stands Morticia Addams, embodied by double Helpmann Award–nominated triple threat Erika Heynatz (Legally Blonde, Menopause the Musical), whose elegance is as sharp as her wit. Opposite her, the ardently devoted Gomez Addams finds his match in acclaimed Filipino-Australian performer Marcus Rivera (Miss Saigon, City of Angels), promising a romance that burns as brightly as it does bizarrely.

Emerging from the shadows, Wednesday Addams—the ultimate princess of darkness—will be brought chillingly to life by recent NIDA graduate Jenny Guigayoma (Nine, Peter Pan). Meanwhile, her delightfully devious younger brother Pugsley takes mischievous form in Georgia Oom (Werkaholics, Footloose), whose penchant for chaos keeps the household on edge.

Hovering somewhere between the strange and the sublime, Uncle Fester will be ignited by the electrifying Evan Lever (The Normal Heart, Muriel’s Wedding), guiding the story with peculiar charm. Adding fuel to the family fire, Deborah Galanos (The Boomkak Panto, Stop Girl) unleashes her comic prowess as the unapologetically anarchic Grandmama. Towering—both in stature and presence—Elliot Aitken makes his professional debut as the ever-loyal, ever-lurking Lurch.

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In a delicious twist of fate, Teagan Wouters (Bonnie & Clyde, The Wedding Singer), who originated the role of Wednesday in the original Australian production, returns to the Addams universe as Alice Beineke—a woman on the brink of polite society collapse. Her tightly wound husband Mal Beineke will be played by Rory O’Keeffe (HMS Pinafore, Playing Beatie Bow), while their seemingly “normal” son Lucas—harbouring a secret of his own—comes to life through First Nations performer Alexander Tye (Once on This Island, Footloose The Musical).

Completing this cryptic clan are the Addams ancestors, rising from beyond in the forms of Mae Li Cowell, Nathan Fernandez, Jayden Prelc and Paloma Renouf, with Kayla Ingle-Olson and Joey Phyland lurking in the wings as swings.

When Wednesday Addams, the ultimate gothic outsider, falls for a perfectly “normal” boy, everything the Addams family holds dear is turned upside down. As the two families meet for one fateful evening, secrets are revealed, boundaries are tested, and chaos is delightfully unleashed. With an extraordinary original score and a story to die for, The Addams Family promises a wickedly entertaining night for audiences of all persuasions.

Directed by Julia Robertson (The Producers, Metropolis), with musical supervision by Zara Stanton (Dear Evan Hansen, In The Heights) and choreography by Shannon Burns (Gutenberg! The Musical, The Producers), this bold new production will push boundaries and breathe new (after)life into a beloved classic.

The unsettlingly enchanting musical comedy from Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice, writers of the multi award-winning hit musical Jersey Boys, with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa, will haunt you in the most delightfully spooky way.

www.hayestheatre.com.au/event/the-addams-family

Producer Joshua Robson Productions (JRP)
Director Julia Robertson
Music Supervisor Zara Stanton
Choreographer Shannon Burns
Music Director Zander Gaal
Assistant Director/Choreographer Grace Stamnas
Production Designer Dann Barber
Associate Production Designer Meg Anderson
Lighting Designer Jasmine Rizk
Sound Designer Chaii Ki Chapman

SEASON DETAILS
Venue: Hayes Theatre Co, 19 Greenknowe Ave, Potts Point
Season: Until 9 August
Times: Tues 6.30pm, Wed-Sat 7.30pm, Thurs 1pm, Sat 2pm & Sunday 1pm
Price: Adult, $95 Concession, $89 Groups/Previews from $85
Bookings: www.hayestheatre.com.au | (02) 8065 7337

 

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