Malthouse Theatre is spreading out for summer 2022, kicking off the year with three new plays premiering indoors, plus comedy, theatre, circus and music lighting up the outdoor space.
Dave Hughes, Lior and Domini, and Circus Oz will perform at Malthouse Outdoor Stage, alongside a new adaptation of the classic book, Looking For Alibrandi, Carly Sheppard’s creation Chase and new Australian play Stay Woke in Malthouse’s indoor theatres.
Stay Woke – a new play written by Aran Thangaratnam and developed by Malthouse Theatre, sees two brothers head to a cabin in the mountains for the weekend, hoping to bury the hatchet on a lifelong rivalry. Directed by Bridget Balodis, Stay Woke stars Rose Adams, Brooke Lee, Dushan Phillips, Kaivu Suvarna and opens in the Beckett on 25 February.
Writer and performer Carly Sheppard brings Chase to the Beckett Theatre, directed by Kamarra Bell-Wykes. Meet Chase. She’s living her best life. Hailing from the streets of Frankston, Chase is a macro metaphor of our colonial shame, equally offensive to theatregoers from every walk of life. But therein lies her power. Chase is a mirror back to Australia, in the Tower from 8 March.
The premiere of Looking For Alibrandi, adapted by Vidya Rajan and based on the much-loved modern classic novel by Melina Marchetta and a ground-breaking film, is a theatrical experience examining the Italian-Australian experience through the lives of three generations of women. Directed by Stephan Nicolazzo, it plays in the Merlyn Theatre from 8 July.
“We’re kicking off our announcements for 2022 with three gutsy and fun shows,” said Malthouse Artistic Director and Co-CEO, Matthew Lutton.
“Stay Woke is the debut play by Aran Thangaratnam. It’s an astonishingly good and addictive comedy. Carly Sheppard’s one women show Chase is so inappropriate you can’t look away, and is back after postponement, directed by the remarkable Kamarra Bell-Wykes.”
And I cannot wait for Vidya Rajan’s adaptation of Looking for Alibrandi to premiere. We have been developing this adaptation for the last two years, we love Looking for Alibrandi, and director Stephen Nicolazzo has a vision that offers a new lens whilst bringing it sensually to life,” said Lutton.
Melbourne’s premier outdoor entertainment hub, Malthouse Outdoor Stage (MOS) returns for the second time off the back of a sell-out season in the summer of 2021. Beneath twinkling stars on balmy evenings, MOS welcomes the best in comedy, talks, theatre, music and circus.
The summer line-up includes comedy superstars Dave Hughes, Geraldine Hickey, and Sam Simmons, plus music performances by Lior and Domini and Parvyn from The Bombay Royale.
Midsumma Festival also returns to the stage in February and in collaboration with Rawcus will stage A Resourceful Hero Struggling Against Incredible Odds, while Circus Oz will take to the highwire with the award-winning Wunderage in March.
Malthouse is taking a new approach to the traditional subscription season for 2022, with announcements about the full program rolling out across the year, keeping calendars refreshed and revealing new surprises in store.
Audiences can join Malthouse’s Supporter Community by becoming Muses or Mates to gain access to tickets ahead of the general public on sale date.
“The 2022 program is distinctively Malthouse but with more performances on offer than ever before,” said Malthouse Executive Director and Co-CEO, Sarah Neal.
“We’ll be premiering ten new Australian productions from some of the most exciting artists working in theatre today, plus a curated program of music, comedy, cabaret, circus and live art in our MOS precinct in the warmer months.”
“We look forward to sharing further details on these productions throughout the year,” said Neal.
Tickets for the Malthouse Outdoor Stage shows, Stay Woke and Chase are now on sale to Malthouse Muses and Mates, and the general public at 10.00am – Wednesday 1 December. Tickets for Looking For Alibrandi will go on sale in 2022.
For more information about Malthouse’s Summer 2022 program, visit: www.malthousetheatre.com.au for details.
Image: Chase – photo by Gregory Lorenzutti