Enjoying the rare phenomenon for an Australian musical, a second new production, Laura Murphy’s whip smart The Lovers was first premiered in Sydney by Bell Shakespeare in 2022.
Reconceived by director Nick Skubij for Shake & Stir Theatre Co, Queensland Performing Arts Centre in association with Brisbane Festival, and premiered in Brisbane in September of this year, The Lovers now returns to Sydney fresh from its Brisbane season, for this very brief season at the Theatre Royal, courtesy of Shake & Stir Theatre Co and John Frost for Crossroads Live.
Now, Frosty knows a good show when he sees it, and his interest in this particular musical, bodes well for its international potential.
10 years in the making for Murphy, who wrote the book, music and lyrics, The Lovers offers a contemporary riff on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, concentrating on the four lovers, Hermia, Lysander, Helena and Demetrius, and the complications caused in their relationships by Puck’s careless handling of Oberon’s love potion.
With Loren Hunter as a feisty, Hermia, who’s in love with Lysander (Mat Verevis), who’s in love with Helena (Natalie Abbott), who’s in love with Demetrius (Jason Arrow), the four lovers commence the show in an imaginative designer’s version of Elizabethan gear complete with white ruffs, which they eventually doff for more practical creations for the hilarious shenanigans in which they later become embroiled.
Stellar Perry, costumed in a sparkly red cowboy suit, plays Oberon, while Jayme-Lee Hanekom wears fluffy red pants, red & yellow striped stockings and pom-poms on her head to play a delightfully mischievous, Puck. All are uniformly excellent in their roles, responding to Nick Skubij’s erudite direction with enthusiasm and flair.
Although she draws on Shakespeare’s text for her spoken dialogue, most of the storytelling is told through Murphy’s catchy songs. There are about 27 in the show. Each crammed with clever, ear-catching, rap-style lyrics, quite a few of which were lost on opening night, due to a sound balance that tended to favour the excellent on-stage band.
Visually the show is gorgeous. Utilising revolving stages, ultra-romantic lighting design by Trent Suidgeest, and melting video imagery by David Bergman, designer, Isabel Hudson has created a lusciously romantic forest environment dominated by a huge blossom-laden tree, with a huge love-heart which drops in at appropriate moments.
The over-all effect is of dream-like, original, young, fresh and very funny show, which was given a rapturous reception by the Sydney opening night audience.
Not only is The Lovers an outstanding addition to the growing list of musicals inspired by Shakespeare’s writings, it is also a compelling showcase for the depth of Australian creative talent currently vying for attention on the world’s stages.
While Shake & Stir Theatre Co and John Frost for Crossroads Live are to be commended for bringing this outstanding production to Sydney, hopefully some way will be found to allow it to be enjoyed by audiences beyond this short Sydney season.
The Lovers
Theatre Royal Sydney, 108 King Street, Sydney
Performance: Wednesday 5 November 2025
Season continues to 16 November 2025
Bookings: www.theatreroyalsydney.com
For more information, www.theloversmusical.com.au for details.
Images: Loren Hunter, Mat Verevis, Stellar Perry, Jayme-Lee Hanekom, Natalie Abbott and Jason Arrow – photo by Joel Devereaux | Jayme-Lee Hanekom and Stellar Perry – photo by Joel Devereaux | Natalie Abbott and Mat Verevis – photo by Joel Devereaux
Review: Bill Stephens OAM