After a sensational sold-out 2022 season, NORPA’s Love for One Night returns to the iconic Eltham Hotel for a strictly limited season under the stars from 27 August to 12 September 2026.
The much-loved site-specific work comes back four years on for those who never forgot it – and for everyone who missed out the first time. From an iconic country pub in a town of just 332 people, world-class theatre erupts with dialogue, movement, music, live camera projections and a three-piece band.
Conceived and directed by NORPA’s Artistic Director Julian Louis, Love for One Night unfolds across the Eltham Hotel’s bar, beer garden and upstairs rooms, while audiences watch from a purpose-built seating bank in the carpark.
A series of love stories, the production features twenty-four characters played by five actors; a single mum and hopeless romantic, childhood sweethearts bantering over schooners, two men who fell for the same woman, a man who loses the love of his life to a cult… these stories are drawn from the fabric of the Northern Rivers and brim with warmth, humour and recognition.
Love for One Night first premiered at the Eltham Hotel in September 2022, as the Northern Rivers community was still grappling with the aftermath of the devastating floods; an event that shattered so much of the region, including NORPA’s own home at Lismore City Hall.
In the shadow of the disaster, Love for One Night became something more than theatre: a gathering place, a collective exhale, a love letter to a community still finding its feet. Every show after opening night sold out, with extensive waitlists and extraordinary word-of-mouth.
The production went on to win the 2023 PAC Australia IMPACT Award, recognising its outstanding artistic and community impact. Now, four years later, Love for One Night returns to the place where it all began – reconnecting artists, audiences and community in a shared celebration of love, music and story, under the stars at the Eltham Hotel.
“Creating and directing Love For One Night the first time was an act of discovery. Bringing it back to the Eltham Hotel with fresh voices and a new musical director – that’s where we get to lean into the work and create even more magic. I can’t wait to be back in the world of this show,” said Julian Louis, NORPA’s Artistic Director.
“Ever since Love for One Night first took over the Eltham, we’ve had people coming up to the bar asking when it might come back. The response from our punters was incredible – people felt part of something special,” said Luke Sullivan, co-owner of the Eltham Hotel.
“Working with NORPA has been a brilliant example of what can happen when local business and the creative community come together, and we’re thrilled to welcome the show home again.”
“What joy. Pure joy. As the last song played us into the night, the audience knew they had found pure gold.” – Australian Stage
Love For One Night
The Eltham Hotel, 441 Eltham Road, Eltham (Northern NSW)
Season: 27 August – 12 September 2026
Information and Bookings: www.norpa.org.au
Images: NORPA’s Love For One Night at The Eltham Hotel – photo by Kate Holmes | NORPA’s Love For One Night at The Eltham Hotel – photo by Kurt Petersen