The world is a stage this month in Melbourne.
Daddy
Daddy returns after a sell-out run at Sydney’s World Pride last year. Brent Thorpe, at 60, is fit and ready to have fun in the wake of aging. This show is an ode to how enjoyable growing older can be. After all, as Daddy says, ‘You’re never too old to take a pill and dance on a podium wearing a jockstrap.’
Motley Bauhaus | 5-11 Feb
Meg Washington with the MSO
The soulful Meg Washington is teaming up with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in a special performance at Hamer Hall on February 9. Nominated for ten ARIA awards throughout her musical career, this prolific musician’s style will pair exquisitely with the symphony, bringing new life to some of her classic songs, as well as new tracks.
Hamer Hall | 9 Feb
The Rocky Horror Show
A stage classic, The Rocky Horror Show, comes to Melbourne, this time playing at the Athenaeum Theatre. Written and created by Richard O’Brien, The Rocky Horror Show has become one of the world’s most-loved musicals, with references to its characters, story, and music rippling through the globe. So, put on your most bohemian attire and sing along to the classics.
Athenaeum Theatre | from 9 Feb
Budjerah by Candlelight
Budjerah has burst onto the scene in recent years, and his latest single Therapy is an epitome of his growth as an artist. The ARIA award-winning Coodjinburra artist will showcase his unique hybridization of R&B and pop at Federation Square on Thursday, February 15. This is set to be a candlelit spectacular, so pack a picnic rug, a blanket, some snacks, and head down to Fed Square for a special performance by Budjerah in Candlelight.
Federation Square | 15 Feb
Emsolation Live
Multi-talented and utterly hilarious Em Rusciano has teamed up with Michael Lucas for a special night where they talk about the ins and outs of pop culture over a drink and many laughs. There’ll be dialogue about blockbuster films and the aftermath of COVID-19. It’s sure to be a night filled with rambling tangents and belly-aching laughs.
Malthouse Outdoor Stage | 15-21 Feb
Much Ado About Nothing
Derived from Shakespeare’s infamous play, Much Ado About Nothing is set as a play within a music concert. Heavily influenced by 90s pop and rock music imagery, this take on a theatrical classic has opened up a new way to present a Shakespearean piece in the form of a musical production. It is wholly romantic, contains a pinch of tragedy, and will have you laughing and tapping your feet along for the entirety of the play.
Royal Botanic Gardens | from 23 Feb
The Hate Race
Inspired by the best-selling, award-winning memoir by Caribbean-Australian writer Maxine Beneba Clarke, The Hate Race is a deep dive into the complexities of race in Australia. The Hate Race weaves its way through the narrative of young Maxine as she grows up in Sydney’s western suburbs, navigating the burden of otherness in Australia. This theatrical reworking is teeming with poetry, music, and beats, provoking the audience to confront racial biases, discrimination, and the status quo in Australian society.
Malthouse Theatre | from 23 Feb
Groundhog Day The Musical
Inspired by the iconic film from 1993, Groundhog Day The Musical hits the Princess Theatre in February. Direct from a record-breaking run in London, this production follows the story of Phil Connors, a cynical Pittsburgh TV weatherman. If you know the film, you’ll be aware of what ensues, but if not, go and see the musical brought together by the brilliant and musical minds of Tim Minchin, Danny Rubin, and Matthew Warchus.
Princess Theatre | throughout Feb
Rent
Following a group of friends living in New York City under the shadow of the AIDS crisis, the musical Rent is heading to Australia. From February 17 to March 7, Arts Centre Melbourne will come alive with the electrifying energy of Jonathan Larson’s multi-Tony Award-winning production.
Arts Centre Melbourne | from Feb 7
An Evening With Fran Leibowitz
Fran Leibowitz is a shining light in a cultural landscape where conviction and honesty are lacking, and the general populace remains absorbed in the emergence of a mostly digital era. Her insights teeter on scathing but never stray from an accurate lens. This February 18 and 19, she will take to the stage of Hamer Hall with her polished wit and attuned observations to discuss the most controversial of subjects.
Hamer Hall | 18-19 Feb
The Choir of Man
A versatile ensemble of nine (extra)ordinary blokes will serenade audiences with an electric repertoire – from pub anthems and folk melodies to Broadway hits and timeless rock classics – all delivered with a roof-raising fervor.
Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne | until February 11
Grease
It’s one of the world’s most iconic and loved musicals, and nothing beats the feeling you get going back to Rydell High. Danny, Sandy, Kenickie, Rizzo, and the whole gang are back to give you a night out, like only Grease can.
Her Majesty’s Theatre | until March 16
