The best musicals in Sydney

It was always inevitable that Hamilton would make its way Down Under. It’s been almost three years since Lin-Manuel Miranda’s game-changing musical made its five-star Sydney debut in March 2021, and was met with overwhelming audience and critical acclaim. Remarkably, this was also the first production of the Broadway mega-hit to open anywhere in the world, following global pandemic lockdowns. A roaring success, the show went on to tour to Melbourne, Brisbane, New Zealand, and across Asia. Now, Hamilton’s back for round two. The Sydney Lyric Theatre’s exclusive return season reuniting some of the original Australasian cast with mind-boggling new talents, some of whom are making their professional theatre debut (not that you’d even guess).  So, in the year 2024, does the pop-culture hype around Hamilton maintain its heat? And can the live production withstand the test of time, especially when you can stream the original Broadway cast recording on Disney+ for $13.99? The simple answer to both questions is: yes. Although, anyone who is unfamiliar with the Hamilton lore might benefit from reading up on it beforehand (we’ve explained it briefly over here). For Australian audiences, the draw of Hamilton is not really the plot, which holds many contradictions (even Miranda himself admits to that). But if you know anything about the show, you know that the true ingenuity (aside from the game-changing race-reverse casting) lies in Miranda’s magical, genre-defying score – and by bringin

Ah, the Titanic. An unsinkable cultural icon, the “Ship of Dreams” has appeared in almost as many movies and stage productions as the songs of Canada’s queen of the power ballad, Céline Dion. It’s even got a two-and-a-half-hour (surprisingly serious) movie musical adaptation based on Maury Yeston’s Titanic: the Musical. Although, none can hold a candle to the cultural impact of James Cameron’s 1997 blockbuster – you know, the one with Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. So, with nostalgia being such hot property right now, it was only a matter of time before we got the camp-as-hell musical fantasia-made-for-and-by-the-gays that is Titanique. Created by Marla Mindelle (who originated the role of Céline Dion – well, as imagined in this show), Constantine Rousouli (who originated the role of Jack) and director Tye Blue (whose countless industry credits include working on the casting team of RuPaul’s Drag Race), Titanique is revisionist history at its best. Loaded with Céline Dion’s greatest bangers, it casts Queen Dion herself (played so wonderfully by cabaret legend Marney McQueen here in Aus) as the narrator of the tragic tale, who continuously places herself at the center of the action – quite literally – much to Jack and Rose’s repeated dismay. It brings the campness of the film to the front, with Stephen Anderson (Mary Poppins) playing Rose’s awful mother Ruth (complete with a bird’s nest headpiece), and Abu Kebe (Choirboy) playing a brilliant, tear-jerking drag parody of T

[Content note: this review discusses themes of suicide and mental health issues. If you need support, you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or find more options at healthdirect.gov.au.] I suspect anyone reading this is either a huge fan of Dear Evan Hansen, or you’re not. The middle ground is sparsely populated. If you’re part of the former cohort, it’s because the show is beloved in musical theatre circles and revered by critics. It’s a new classic in the canon, and we don’t get those too often. Premiering on Broadway in 2016, it was an instant hit, and at the 71st Tony Awards it handily scooped up six out of nine nominations, including Best Musical, Best Book for Steven Levenson, Best Score for Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Best Actor for Ben Platt, and Best Featured Actress for Rachel Bay Jones. It’s now making its Australian debut at the Roslyn Packer Theatre ahead of a national tour, and its reputation ensures an audience is built in – expect tickets to go fast. If you’re part of the latter, that’s probably down to the widely derided 2021 screen adaptation, which saw Platt, at the age of 27, reprise the title role, a move that drew scathing criticism – largely because he very much did not look like a teenager, especially alongside his age-appropriate co-stars. The film tanked, and the play closed shortly thereafter (in fairness, the pandemic didn’t help). Perfectly cast, perfectly mounted, perfectly polished...and surprisingly complex in its themes I was in the latter group.

Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived… and now, live in concert! Holy numerical, the Six pack is back in action. (But the question remains, was it ever out of action?) This pop-powered global phenomenon has already had multiple record-breaking seasons across the country, and now due to popular demand, the disgraced wives of King Henry VIII are back at the Theatre Royal in ye olde Sydneytown following an enthusiastic welcome in Melbourne.  “What if the Spice Girls did a concept album about King Henry VIII’s wives, and Baz Luhrmann directed the concert video?” – Six the Musical has perhaps never been better summarised than in these words, directly quoted from critic Travis Johnson’s review of the production that hit The Studio at the Sydney Opera House between lockdowns in 2020. For the uninitiated, this unconventional pop-rock musical takes a dry historical topic, and turns it into a rowdy 80-minute concert primed to rival the world’s biggest pop groups.  Everyone knows that King Henry VIII had not four, not five, but six wives – enough to require a mnemonic technique to keep track. History (aka “his story”) has reduced the legacies of these ladies to little more than singular words in a rhyme that details their fearsome fates, but what if we carved out space to remember them as real, three-dimensional women?  Six the Musical takes on this noble task by embracing a far-fetched premise: Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anna of Cleves, Katherine H

Well, that rabble rouser Jesus Christ is at it again. Stirring up the people of Judea, angering Caiaphas and the Pharisees, encouraging a revolt against the occupying Roman government – although Governor Pontius Pilate doesn’t seem particularly fussed. Still, even among his own followers there’s dissent in the ranks – his bestie, Judas, seems particularly ticked off. Jesus better watch his sandaled step – and hey, that’s an awfully big Cross taking up a lot of real estate on the stage? I have to assume you’re familiar to at least some degree with the general drift of Jesus Christ Superstar; after all, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s rock opera is based on one of the most popular books ever published, the Bible – or at least, parts of the New Testament. First staged on Broadway in 1971 (although it was a concept album first, the composers having had trouble finding anyone who would stump up cash for an arguably-blasphemous take on the story of Christ) it was the longest-running West End production of all time until Webber’s own Cats outpaced it in 1989.  It is a spectacular interpretation... passionate, creative, and immensely impressive Now, of course, it’s a classic of the stage, with revivals occurring regularly. Here in Australia, we’ve had Jon English as Judas (1972), John Farnham as Jesus (1992), and even rock ‘n’ roll nerd Tim Minchin as the former in the 2012 Arena Tour (technically not an Aussie production, but Minchin certainly is). Indeed, it was the Australian

It looks like Christmas has come early, with the news that Elf: The Musical will make its Australian debut at the Sydney Opera House just in time for the silly season. This heartwarming musical adaptation of the beloved film (which is arguably Will Ferrell’s best role ever!) is heading Down Under – with a special presentation hitting the Opera House’s grand Concert Hall from December 19–29, presented with the (suitably named) John Frost for Crossroads Live. This ridiculously fun adventure follows Buddy on a quest to find his true identity. Despite being raised as an elf in the North Pole, Buddy learns that he is actually a human – which explains his enormous size and poor toy-making abilities. Hilarious misadventures ensue as his search for his birth family leads him to the bright lights of New York City, where he’s faced with the harsh realities that his father is on the naughty list and his half-brother doesn't even believe in Santa. After months of speculation, the cast has finally been unwrapped. Gareth Isaac (Grease the Musical, Mary Poppins) will lead the company as the loveable Buddy, joined by local showbiz legend Simon Burke (Wicked, Moulin Rouge! The Musical) as Walter Hobbs, Brianna Bishop (Grease the Musical, feature film The Deb) as Jovie, Lara Mulcahy (Mamma Mia! - Australia and West End) as Santa, Katrina Retallick (Come From Away) as Emily Hobbs, Oscar Bridges (The Sound of Music) as Michael Hobbs, Andrew Dunne (The Phantom of the Opera) as Mr Greenway, and Ma