Theatre

In 2026 The Doll Trilogy will be performed in its entirety for the first time since 1985, by a single ensemble as Lawler intended. Experience the raw beauty, humour and heartbreak that have made these plays a cornerstone of our cultural identity.

From the playful romance of Kid Stakes in 1937, through the war-shadowed years of Other Times, to the shattering conclusion of Summer of the Seventeenth Doll in 1953, the characters embody idealism, disappointment and resilience against the backdrop of a rapidly changing world. Lawler’s masterful writing depicts working class Melbourne with warmth, humour and sensitivity.

Written for a dedicated ensemble, The Doll Trilogy finds its ideal home at Red Stitch where intimacy, ambition, and the actors’ craft unite to immerse audiences in this uniquely Melbourne story.

Covid, lockdown, birthdays. The one decides to create a virtual reality to evade this dying world. His way to fight pollution, discord, inequality.  The older generation is not ready, they want the past to come back. They fight against it, against each other, they lose themselves to find others.

This dark comedy explores inter generational conflict provoked by the rise of new advanced technology.

Charged, grounded and haunting, I Thought You Said dives into the roadblocks of engaging with activism when comfort and convenience are prioritised over doing the right thing. Following a virtue signaller and an armchair socialist, this two-person play examines what happens when world issues are reckoned with on the stage of social media and in the confines of capitalism. From boycotts to virtue signalling to actually putting your body on the line, Tip Toe Theatre’s debut play leaves no issue unturned or hypocrisy unquestioned.

At its core, the show follows the lives of three teenage girls, Olive, Piper, and Rory, who are cheeky, playful, and initially unaware of the more ‘insignificant’ forms of misogyny they encounter in their day-to-day lives. As they grow older, the tone shifts.

Subtitled “A Quartet on Loss and Violence” Beyond The Neck is a piece of theatre which is closer to a musical quartet than a traditional play.

WIN TIX: TWiSK has three double passes for readers – email gday@gdaystkilda.com.au with the subject BEYOND to enter the draw. Entries close 10 March