It is a truth universally acknowledged that Pride & Prejudice is one of the greatest romance stories ever written. In the 250th year after her birth, Jane Austen’s timeless tale leaps to the stage in a vibrant retelling with a luminous all-Queensland cast.

Smart, witty and fearless, Elizabeth Bennet is an independent young woman who dearly loves a laugh and is not afraid to poke fun where fun is most definitely warranted. At odds with her husband-hunting sisters and dithery mother, Elizabeth longs for the power to determine her own marital fate.

Amidst the glittering swirl of regency balls, gossip and the hypocrisy of 19th century England, Elizabeth encounters the arrogant, aloof, but infuriatingly eligible Mr Darcy. The two are more alike than they care to admit. Mindful? Yes. Demure? Debatable. A perfect match? Most ardently!

Penned by Patrick White Award winners Wendy Mocke and Lewis Treston, Austen’s rapier wit and iconic characters burst to life in this exquisite theatrical adaptation of the novel that defined the very genre of romantic comedy.

Pride & Prejudice
20 February – 9 March
Playhouse, QPAC, Brisbane
www.queenslandtheatre.com.au

Starring Queensland’s first lady of song Naomi Price (The Voice Australia, Ladies in Black, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), Christmas Actually delivers all the hits from beloved holiday classic Love Actually wrapped up with a sprig of holly and The Little Red Company’s trademark comedy and charm.

Relive the magic musical moments from your favourite festive film including smash hit songs by Mariah Carey, Joni Mitchell, Norah Jones, Eva Cassidy, Kelly Clarkson, The Beach Boys and The Beatles, brought to life by a band of Australia’s top musicians and superstar vocalists Stefanie Caccamo (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), Luke Kennedy (The Voice Australia) and Tom Oliver (Velvet).

Bursting with nativity lobsters (yes, more than one), cinnamon sticks and endless fun, Christmas Actually is the ultimate silly-season starter.

“A must-see experience for all Love Actually fans, and music fans too… A vibrant, fun-filled night” – ArtsHub

Christmas Actually
Wednesday 27 November – Saturday 7 December
Roundhouse Theatre, La Boite, Kelvin Grove
www.thelittleredcompany.com

UK theatre company Hoipolloi brings The Duke and Me & Robin Hood to Brisbane Powerhouse, a duo of shows created by and starring award-winning artistic director Shôn Dale-Jones.

The Duke is a semi-autobiographical tale of Dale-Jones, his mother, and their complex relationship with a cherished china figurine of the Duke of Wellington belonging to his late father.

The one-man show playfully and poignantly blends fantasy and reality as it weaves together the tragi-comic fate of a family heirloom, the moral quandry of a scriptwriter and an unfolding disaster as thousands of children flee their homes. The Duke received The Scotsman’s Fringe First Award in Edinburgh in 2016 and since raised tens of thousands of dollars for Save the Children’s Child Refugee Crisis Appeal.

The second show in the series –Me & Robin Hood–takes a nostalgic look at Dale-Jones’s longstanding relationship with his favourite fictional character, questioning the value of art and the power of story. The performer has “talked” to Robin Hood since he was a child and said the thought-provoking show was the Nottingham native’s idea.

“Recently, we’ve spent a lot more time discussing the state of the world,” Dale-Jones said.“Robin is 100 per cent convinced that the main reason for the recent turmoil is down to the growing gap between the rich and poor. “He’s convinced we need to change the story of money and share the opportunity we’ve been given if we really want to do something about this.”

Me & Robin Hood has also raised several thousand dollars for Street Child United, a charity that uses the power of sport to support and inspire street-connected children.Brisbane Powerhouse Artistic Director Kris Stewartsaid audiences will be given the chance to take action and support these global charities during Hoipolloi’s Brisbane season.

“We’re joining Shôn by asking our audiences to bring a little extra cash with them to these shows so they can embrace the spirit of Robin Hood and give hope and help to the poor,” Stewart said.“Great theatre challenges us, it stays with us long after the houselights have come up, and it can inspire us to take action and look at things from a new perspective. “Shôn is at the forefront of creating theatre that weaves the personal with the political which I’m sure will resonate with Brisbane audiences.”

The two shows can be viewed as standalone works or as a double-feature on February 15.

The Duke + Robin Hood & Me
Thursday 14 – Saturday 16 February 2019
Visy Theatre, Brisbane Powerhouse
www.brisbanepowerhouse.org

Condensing all of Quentin Tarantino’s films into a one hour play is a work of genius, a QT type of genius. One that steals from the perfect source and makes people feel good about being total film geeks.

One man (Stephen Hirst) and one woman (Emily Kristopher) meet at the Red Apple Video store during its dying day. He behind the counter and soon to be out of work and her dropping off those overdue discs and still in the throes of a bad break up. Together they engage in a titanic riff off, quoting their favourite QT moments from Reservoir Dogs all the way to The Hateful Eight.

The battle include everyday items used as props and more than a little physicality as the two get fully involved and leave reason far behind. They are both working things out in the best possible way, through cranberry juice bloodshed and profanity laden statements.

It’s incredible fun to follow the dialogue as they try harder and harder to outdo each other, and more than rewarding, when the film geek in you realises the errors (no matter how small) in the script. This is one for fans of film and theatre.
Rob Hudson

Two Man Tarantino
November 29 to December 2
Visy Theatre, Brisbane Powerhouse
Part of the 2018 Wonderland Festival
www.brisbanepowerhouse.org

Andy is a reductionist who sees the world in simple terms, while Arisa over intellectualise things and has strong opinions on just about every topic. Contrasting the difference between the perception of intent and interpretation of action, Andy and Arisa continue to see the world in dramatically different ways, even as the begin to fall in love.

The third element of this union is the city of Bangkok, with its sights and sounds and smells. It is an exotic location and one that promotes a unique world view. They visit tourist locations and enjoy western privilege and endure third world terror. Through it all, their differences fall by the wayside.

That their union becomes realised is expected, where it goes after that is less so. That universal truths can be filtered through Western privilege and become something else informs the participant’s reality and the audience’s as well.

The play is the work of writer Julia-Rose Lewis, composer Gillian Cosgriff and director Kat Henry.

Neon Tiger is playing at La Boite Theatre until Saturday 17 November – for more information or to purchase tickets head to www.laboite.com.au

Rob Hudson

Well-meaning but troubled priest, Father Welsh, desperately attempts to reconcile the brothers fearing their violence will spiral towards a bloody end. Girleen, a beautiful young school girl, provides hope for a brighter future, if only the men can find compassion in their hearts.

The Lonesome West is a darkly irreverent but uproariously funny black comedy, from Martin McDonagh, the Academy Award-winning author of In Bruges.

The Lonesome West
8 – 18 November 2018
JWCOCA Brisbane
www.judithwrightcentre.com

Exploring the physical limits of their bodies as they are pushed to the extreme they question how much we can take as humans. How much weight can we carry? Who can we trust to support our load? They lead us to reflect on our lives, our loved ones, the burdens we carry and the physical and emotional strength it takes to overcome them.

Created by Yaron Lifschitz, the stage is stripped bare as the vulnerability of a team of highly skilled acrobats is exposed. With incredible strength and integrity they connect each moment seamlessly with the next in a thrilling and heart-stopping performance. Glimpse their humanity as they find redemptive power in strength and celebrate what it means to be fiercely human.

Humans
QPAC Brisbane
6 – 9 December 2017
www.qpac.com.au

Recognised as one of the great works of late 20th Century theatre, this landmark in LGBT theatre is set in 1980’s during the rise of the AIDS epidemic and a conservative Reagan administration, New Yorkers grapple with life and death, love and sex, heaven and hell. It has as much to say now as it did then with respect to people’s rights, livelihood and feeling welcome in the world being compromised.

In this production, Tony & Olivier award winning Marianne Elliot (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, War Horse) directs a high profile cast including Oscar nominee Andrew Garfield (Hacksaw Ridge), Tony award winning Nathan Lane (The Producers), Olivier award winning Denise Gough (People, Places, Things), Russell Tovey (Quantico, Looking) & James McArdle (Star Wars Ep VII: The Force Awakens).

Angels in America
Dendy Portside, Brisbane
Part One: Millennium Approaches – September 9th-11th 2017
Part Two: Perestroika – September 16th-20th 2017
Also showing at Canberra, Newtown, Opera Quays Dendy Cinemas
www.dendy.com.au

In an achingly beautiful story that spans four generations and two continents, this powerful drama is an investigation of mortality and family, of shared experience and inherited legacies, of the strength of nature and the compassion of humanity.

Join Ipswich’s THAT Production Company on a breath-taking mystery in collaboration with a passionate creative team of performers and artists, and a story from one of Australia’s most acclaimed and successful playwrights, Andrew Bovell (Lantana, Strictly Ballroom, The Secret River).

Featuring a blend of music, movement and digital artistry, all set on a revolving stage, When the Rain Stops Falling will transport you through time and space, reality and dreaming, life and death.

When the Rain Stops Falling
27-28 May 2016
JWCOCA, Brisbane
www.judithwrightcentre.com

A co-production between Brisbane Festival and La Boite, Prize Fighter will transform the Roundhouse Theatre, Australia’s only purpose-built theatre-in-the-round, into a spectacular boxing arena showcasing the story of Isa, a talented young Congolese boxer.

Played by Pacharo Mzembe, one of Queensland’s most talented young actors, Isa’s powerful left hook offers a new life in Australia, but as he prepares for the biggest fight of his career he is faced with his greatest opponent – his past.

Prize Fighter is the debut play of Future D. Fidel, a Playwright-in-Residence at La Boite, who was forced to flee from the DRC as a child following the civil war in 1996. After eight years in a Tanzanian refugee camp, Fidel and his siblings were granted refugee status in Australia and travelled to Brisbane. Future is an incredible success story, having been awarded the Young African Australian Star Award for Excellence in the Arts in 2014.

Pacharo Mzembe performs alongside his brother, Gideon Mzembe, and Sophia Emberson-Bain, forming an all-Brisbane cast in lead roles. At a young age, the two Mzembe brothers came to Australia from Malawi with their parents, their casting in this world premiere celebrates the Brisbane African community.

Prize Fighter at La Boite
Saturday 5 – Saturday 26 September 2015
www.laboite.com.au