Red Phoenix Theatre. Goodwood Theatre and Studios. 21 May 2026
Machinal was inspired the story of New Yorker Ruth Snyder who, in 1928, was executed via electric chair after being convicted of murdering her husband. Ruth had conspired with her lover to kill her despised husband, and the trial attracted nationwide attention, not least of which was centred on the horrific front-page photograph of her moment of death in the chair.
Journalist Sophie Treadwell was one of the many who sat through the trial, but rather than reporting on it for a newspaper, she used it as a basis for the play Machinal which she wrote in the Expressionist style, which favours critique over simplistic storytelling, and an emphasis on what is not said.
To that end, this is not a didactic piece or a ‘true crime’ expose. It is instead a series of vignettes in the life of a Young Woman (she is not named until the trial and, spoiler, her name is not Ruth) and while the story line is linear, this style allows for both licence and creativity in the telling and staging of the production.
Director Michael Eustice has taken advantage of this license, and run with it admirably, demanding the audience’s attention with sight and sound that overwhelms, but is at the same time beautifully understated.
The production opens in an office and the ‘machine’ motif is immediately apparent, a sea of hands busily moving over simulated typewriters and switchboard in a superbly choreographed time and motion study. The almost monochromatic set is immediately striking and deftly sets up the visual style of the production.
Here we meet Young Woman (Kate van der Horst) for the first time and learn very quickly that she is the unwilling object of her employer’s (Matt Houston) amorous intentions.
At home, she discusses this with her dependent mother (Sharon Marujlo); in this one scene, the gamut of the expressionist critique is walked through, as we consider the lack of support for the elderly, the expectations of marriage and conformity upon women, and the crushing defeatism of routine and obligation.
Kate Prescott’s sets are relatively simple, almost utilitarian, while Sean Smith’s industrial sound design forms the consummate accompaniment to set changeovers, and anchors the text.
Eustice has made the prudent decision to eschew American accents in this production, a decision that allows the cast to get on with what they do best. A pity more directors don’t adopt this commonsense approach. There are a few suspensions of disbelief; the husband doesn’t portray the level of either blandness or malevolence that should inspire such revulsion, but when the young woman begins her affair, the change in her demeanour makes it clear that he has to go.
Van der Horst alone plays every scene, the rest all play multiple roles and it is to Eustice’s credit that they all get a moment to shine. This cast has worked hard, and it is this ensemble commitment that really lifts this production.
A special mention must go to Movement Director Lisa Lanzi – there are few props as such, and the movement/mime work of the cast as they work, drink, eat and make merry in thin air is really quite outstanding.
Overall, the audience is invested heavily - it’s awkward, troubling, difficult and uncomfortable, but always, always riveting. Even a wardrobe malfunction, which in other productions may have raised a titter, was dutifully ignored by the audience, caught up in the drama of the moment.
Eustice has avoided the traditional death scene, and in true expressionist style, it’s what we don’t see that’s the more powerful. This is, quite simply, an insightful and intelligent interpretation of what is considered one of greatest 100 plays of the twentieth century, and plaudits to this company for staging such a difficult but exceptional work.
Arna Eyers-White
When: 21 to 30 May
Where: Goodwood Theatre and Studios
Bookings: trybooking.com
Rodney Rigby, Marriner Group, Paul Wheelton AM and State Theatre of South Australia. Her Majesty’s Theatre. 20 May 2026
ART is a good vehicle for a trio of old mates to tour for a good time. Richard Roxburgh (Rake, The Correspondent), Adelaide-born Damon Herriman (Justified, Flesh and Bone), and Toby Schmitz (Boy Swallows Universe, Black Sails) will attract their film fans to the theatre to see the real deal, without the bother of viewing lesser mortals on stage.
French playwright Yasmina Reza won a Tony and a Laurence Olivier and a New York Drama Critics’ Circle and an Evening Standard and a Drama Desk award for her play soon after she wrote it in 1994. ART is regularly performed by even more famous actors in New York and London, and a movie announced this year will star Ralph Fiennes, Colin Farrell and Wagner Moura.
Dermatologist Serge gets under the skin of his chum, Marc, because Serge bought a painting - whose value is in the eye of the beholder – for 160,000. The first monochromatic white painting is indeed art. The second was a copy and a decoration. I think we all know that Serge hasn’t bought the original, so maybe Marc has a point? Or why can’t his pal simply indulge… I could go on. Marc and Serge both attempt to enrol their dorky mutual friend, Yvan, to their artistic sensibility. But the art is only a catalyst for comical mansplaining and deep and meaningfuls about friendship, integrity, and perhaps moving on.
The acting trio play strongly developed characterisations. Herriman as the art buyer, Serge, shouts all his justifications with determined intellectualism. Schmitz could have modelled his role after Michael Richard’s Kramer from the US sitcom, Seinfeld. He earned applause for a breathless and comical monologue that was only half over – when he took a breath. Roxburgh’s animated use of language, intonation and gesture came close to over-the-top many times but otherwise made playwright Reza’s ordinary moments levitate to splendour. The comic magic and heartfelt honesty really arise with the actors’ razor repartee.
Director Lee Lewis, Reza and the designers leave many clues. Onto the seemingly blank canvas we could reflect on our own friendships. Where do they come from? Where should they go? Yvan is costumed like a clown in a rodeo separating the bucked and the bronco. The antagonist Marc wears black while the protagonist Serge wears white. They are like chessmen. Playwright brilliance is when the upper hand rapidly switches, but here they also swap these literary roles. That’s good art.
So we have a Frenchwoman writing about rub-a-dub-dub – three men in a tub, each somewhere on their personal acronymic spectrum. Not flattering but very funny and thought-provoking. At least one of the characters is getting therapy.
Pretty short season – show closes 24 May
David Grybowski
When: 20 to 24 May
Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre
Bookings: statetheatrecompany.com.au
Frederick Knott. Galleon Theatre Group. Domain Theatre. 8 May 2026
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but damn, I thoroughly enjoyed this rendition of the terribly spiffing, tally‑ho Brit‑plans‑to‑murder‑his‑wife‑besotted‑by‑a‑wisecracking‑yet‑classy‑American murder‑mystery. Is it camp and hammed up a little? Absolutely! As it should be. And it’s delightful.
Galleon Theatre Group’s Dial M for Murder is a masterclass in the symbiosis between characterisation, tight direction, stagecraft, and design.
Originally written for the BBC as a television series, the play became a hit when it premiered in London in 1952 and later that same year on Broadway. In his director’s notes, Warren McKenzie indicates that the company “worked to honour the suspense, performances and atmosphere of Hitchcock’s classic movie” released in 1954. And they do! The production design by McKenzie and Kaitlyn Meadows is simply superb. A London drawing room of the period is presented in greys and whites, transporting us into a chilling place where things unfold in the most devious ways. The impressive ensemble is attired in similar hues, with the striking exception of Genevieve Hudson as Margot Wendice, who appears in a magnificent scarlet dress. All aristocratic grace, charm, and fragility, Hudson’s Margot is every bit as elegant as Grace Kelly, who won numerous awards for the role in Hitchcock’s film.
The premise is deceptively simple. Tony Wendice, a former Wimbledon player in the days of amateur competition has married for money; lots of money. He’s a cad. Margot has had an affair with American murder‑mystery show‑runner Max Halliday, played with impeccable balance of Yankee swagger, brash humour, and romance by Patrick Clements. Wendice manipulates the transgressions of an old acquaintance, Captain Lesgate, compelling him to commit a crime that will result in a rather large windfall for the devious retired sports star. Things go pear‑shaped, Inspector Hubbard investigates, and all is revealed.
The chemistry between Clements and Hudson is palpable. No wonder Tony loses his mind with jealousy; I felt jealous for him! Coldwell is simply smashing as Wendice portraying him with great style, aplomb, and sinister charm.
I admired Coldwell’s portrayal of Rupert Murdoch in Theatre Guild’s 2023 production of Ink, and his award‑winning performance as Mooney, one of the last hangmen in Great Britain, in Red Phoenix’s Hangmen. A force to be reckoned with, Coldwell is well matched by Hudson’s nuanced Margot, a woman caught between, well, two hard places. Simon Lancione is utterly convincing as the kind of charming cad who makes Tony Wendice appear mildly honourable, while Act Two truly crackles into life when Gary George appears as the cheerfully brisk and keenly observant Inspector Hubbard.
Knott’s script is tight and nuanced and, in the hands of lesser mortals, could have gone terribly wrong. I imagine the stage directions to be quite prescriptive as they often are in such texts, but McKenzie’s assured direction and the cast’s ease with the stagecraft create a flow that builds terrific tension before releasing it in beautifully timed comic moments.
Galleon Theatre Group’s Dial M for Murder is great fun and suited to audiences from lively late teens to very sage adults.
Needless to say…Go. See it!
John Doherty
When: 8 to 16 May
Where: Domain Theatre
Bookings: galleon.org.au
State Opera South Australia. Her Majesty’s Theatre. 7 May 2026
La Cenerentola (Cinderella) is a well-known fairy tale about goodness prevailing against the odds and, figuratively speaking, about cream rising to the top. Neil Armfield’s production of Rossini’s operatic version of the story for State Opera South Australia celebrates its ‘global première’ this evening, and it too will rise to the top in the canon of productions of this opera. It just dazzled in almost every respect!
The fundamental story of Cinderella has a long history, and there are versions that hail back to the days of ancient China and Egypt. They all have one thing in common: someone born to privilege (such as a handsome prince) surprisingly chooses someone from humble origins to be their partner rather than choosing an ‘equal’. The most recent season of the popular TV series Bridgerton is a clear example of the Cinderella trope.
Rossini’s La Cenerentola, which is subtitled “Goodness Triumphant”, is based on a libretto by his friend Jacopo Ferretti. Many of the features of the ‘usual’ version of the fairy tale have been altered, such as the glass slipper becoming a bracelet. Instead of a fairy godmother, there is a wise man (Alidoro) who is tutor to the prince (Ramiro) and, through his deep understanding of human nature (and his employer!), situations are manipulated to ensure the prince and Cinderella (Angelina) become a match and her harsh step-father (Don Magnifico) and self-absorbed highly-conceited step-sisters (Clorinda and Tisbe) get their comeuppance!
Ferretti’s libretto is engaging and very humorous, and Armfield has a field day ensuring that his talented cast milk it for every belly laugh they can, and there are lots of them! Helena Dix as Clorinda is a standout and delivers an object lesson in stagecraft, comic timing, body language and exquisite facial nuance, as she primps and preens. The rest of the cast also produce quality performances in spades! Anna Dowsey (Angelina) balances virtue with self-doubt and indulging (briefly!) in guilty pleasure. Her Angelina has both warmth and emotional credibility. Jihoon Son imbues the prince with self-assuredness, confidence and boyish awkwardness. Nicholas Lester revels in Dandini, the prince’s valet, and plays him with exuberance and cheekiness as he impersonates the prince. Teddy Tahu Rhodes is larger than life as Don Magnifico and transitions hilariously between imperiousness, panic and chastened obsequiousness. Pelham Andrews is excellent as Alidoro and gives us evidence of his substantial acting chops, especially during the inspired puppet-master sequence in the Act 2 sextet. Indyana Schneider convincingly plays the second fiddle sister Tisbe and plays off Dix fabulously.
The State Opera Chorus is also a comical riot. Dressed in a mix of T-shirts that celebrate State Opera’s fifty golden years of achievement, they sport mullet hair dos in keeping with Armfield’s setting of the opera in the 1970s as a nod to State Opera’s significant anniversary. The all-male chorus strut and swagger across the stage and underline the action with great tongue-in-cheek humour and kitsch disco dance steps!
Armfield’s collaboration with Stephen Curtis (set and superbly detailed costumes) and Nigel Levings (lighting) has created a design that allows the essence of the story line (which is tissue thin!) to come through cleanly without being obscured by unnecessary elements. Often attempts to update the context of an opera are problematic and lead to clumsy unintended consequences and cringeworthy anachronisms, but not so with Armfield’s choice of the 1970s. After all, the story is timeless, even if simple. The set itself is skeletal, and the large rectangular scaffold structure that dominates centre stage could, appropriately, represent a picture (storybook?) frame or a false proscenium underscoring the notion that the narrative of the opera is itself a story within a story. Various furniture items are trucked on stage with the stage crew in plain view. There’s a Brechtian feel to the whole thing and the emphasis is squarely on the story, and the music. The audience is constantly reminded they are watching performers construct a story before their eyes. That self-awareness only heightens the comedy.
The lighting of the storm scene in Act 2 is just superb, and the shadow puppetry is hilariously delightful, and is a perfect segue to Pelham Andrews (as Alidoro) becoming the puppet master during the sextet. This is a near genius touch from Armfield, with hilarious results, and one senses Andrews relishing the role!
The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra is beautifully balanced and under the assured baton of guest conductor Stuart Stratford the singers are supported and complemented without ever being dominated. The ‘patter’ songs—the quintet Signor, una parola in Act 1, and the sextet Siete voi?... in Act 2—are fiendishly difficult to execute but delightfully fun to listen to, and Stratford does well to corral the orchestra and singers as tightly as he does whilst giving them room to mould the comedy.
Rossini borrowed the overture from one of his earlier operas (La gazzetta), and it is long. Rather than simply play it through and then raise the curtain, Armfield cleverly uses it to accompany a range of business that he creates for members of the cast. We see the ‘Stage Manager’ (Pelham Andrews) walking the stage and directing the ‘crew’ (members for the chorus) to attend to various tasks in readiness for the show to commence. As mentioned above, it’s almost a nod to Brecht, and we the audience are unsuspectingly repositioned as co-creators of what is about to unfold as distinct to being passive recipients of an entertainment. It’s clever, as is the whole production.
State Opera South Australia can be immensely proud of this fabulous production which opens their fiftieth anniversary year. It is funny, inventive, musically polished and, above all, gloriously acted. There are only three more performances with the season concluding Saturday 16 May. It richly deserves a life far beyond Adelaide.
Kym Clayton
When: 7 to 16 May
Where: Her Majesty’s Theatre
Bookings: ticketek.com.au
Famous Last Words. Goodwood Theatre and Studios. 24 Apr 2026. Preview
Phoebe (Virginia Blackwell) is very, very nervous as she sniffs hard, pumping herself up, posting to Instagram photos of her fab house and food for a special housewarming. Stopping, starting again. So hilarious when she can’t pronounce charcuterie, opting for the easy ‘platter’ description. It’s all about the cheese. It’s clear she’s a hardcore influencer.
This is but a hint at an evening to come. Guests to her luxe home, shared with wealthy accountant boyfriend Nick (Daniel Fryar-Calabro), are oldest friend Steph (Emelia Williams), an aged care worker, and boyfriend Michael (Chris Gun), a PhD who works on a factory floor, and is Phoebe’s ex. Nick’s parents own the luxe home. Michael and Phoebe rent.
Director/writer James Watson offers 80 minutes of darkly funny attempts at reconnection, sharp disconnection, and confusion as four different people attempt bridging different lives over a span of changed times—this hell called the housing crisis.
There’s a not-much-used phrase to describe economic life in the 21st Century: “well heeled”. Yet it’s Phoebe and Nick who traverse their home barefoot. Steph and Nick are oldish shoe-shod. A poignant pointer to the underlying insecurity grounding this group, whatever is or isn’t in their wallet.
A nervy, defensive Phoebe attempts re-establishing her friendship with her bestie from the poorer side of town they grew up. Michael struggles valiantly to establish an across-the-social-divide rapport with Nick. None of the four manage this well at all. It’s so dark. So funny as they dance around each other. So sad and shocking as more differences than commonalities emerge.
Regrets. Anger. Entitlement. Opposing beliefs. Lost beliefs, dreams, and senses of identity.
They are broken. Phoebe by her guilts. Michael and Steph by the fact they may lose their rental in a month. Nick by stressed defensiveness of his place in life, hard working to keep Phoebe happy.
As the beer, wine, and whisky flow, political points are made, ideological demarcations established. It becomes clear there are no solutions they see—each yelling into the void of their fears.
This lack of solution is key to Watson’s script. The lack of awareness to seek them. Instead, it’s division upon division obscuring any hope of unity to solve a crisis. When you’re living in hell, it’s hard to find means of escape.
Watson moves the production across the traverse stage set with grand precision, accentuating a powerful, snappy ‘he said, she said’ neck-turning experience.
Oscar Sarre’s score brilliantly uses songs across time of pop culture eras to date the four’s varying relationships, adding extra dimensional depth to the production. Steven Dury’s lighting is sharp and basic, delineating space and powerfully leveraging onstage tension.
Watson’s cast are a magnificent ensemble of varying shades of temperament, vulnerability, regret, and loss, played with impeccable timing and depth of honest truth.
David O’Brien
When: 24 Apr to 2 May
Where: Goodwood Theatre and Studios
Bookings: humanitix.com