Four boisterous friends. One cruise liner. The holiday of a lifetime.
A confrontational, award-winning play examining the menacing underbelly of Australian masculinity and mateship, Patricia Cornelius’ Savages is inspired by a real-life 2002 death aboard a cruise ship. What begins as a celebration among friends quickly spirals into chaos. Laughter turns to violence, loyalty twists into cruelty, and the pack takes control.
Under the provocative direction of Kitan Petkovski (The Inheritance), and with a powerhouse ensemble comprised of women and non-binary actors embodying “ordinary Aussie blokes”, this engrossing new production subverts gender norms and exposes the toxic undercurrent of power and privilege.
Unflinching, physical, and politically fierce, Savages is quintessential theatre by Australian playwright legend, Patricia Cornelius. Running for nine shows only at the Acland Street venue, Savages is running as part of the 2026 Theatre Works in-house season and promises to be an electric offering in the Melbourne Arts Calendar. Tickets now on sale.
Based in St Kilda, Theatre Works has been home to bold, independent theatre for more than 40 years. They give artists the space, support, and freedom to take risks, and audiences the chance to discover powerful new stories. Each year, they present dozens of productions across their three venues, created in partnership with some of the country’s most exciting theatre makers, solidifying their reputation as a vital ecosystem for independent artists.
Other 2026 By Theatre Works productions include Australian Open, Beyond The Neck, Mara, Red Sky Morning, Lazarus, Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, The Wolves, and Lord of the Flies.
