David Bravos

What has four legs and makes a clip-clop noise as it walks? Why, a king and his servant of course. Monty Python’s SPAMALOT is every bit as absurd as its base material, expanded into a full musical, and exquisitely brought to life by Drew Anthony creative. SPAMALOT has catchy songs, excellent performances, outstanding choreography, and humour from clever to crude. If you’re after a complete night out, grab two halves of a coconut and head to Planet Royale.

Adapting Tim Winton for the stage is a notorious tightrope walk. His prose is so deeply rooted in the heavy, breathing expanse of the Western Australian landscape that stripping it down to fit between three theatre walls always risks losing the very magic that makes his books work.

WHICH WAY HOME, currently playing at the Subiaco Arts Centre, is a beautiful, deeply moving piece of theatre that radiates authenticity and emotional truth. Infused with warmth and a wonderful balance of humour and heart, this production from Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company celebrates belonging, memory, and the bond between a father and daughter.

There is something inherently comforting about a Movie-to-Musical adaptation that knows exactly what it is. PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL, currently playing at Crown Theatre, doesn't attempt to reinvent the wheel or modernize the 1990 classic into something unrecognizable. Instead, it leans into the neon-drenched nostalgia of the era, delivering a production that is as slick, polished, and bright as a Hollywood storefront.

There is something undeniably magical about a story that leans into its own whimsy, and ANASTASIA THE MUSICAL, now playing at Crown Theatre, does exactly that. Following its successful Melbourne run, the Broadway hit has finally arrived in Perth, bringing with it a sense of old-school theatrical grandeur that feels like a warm embrace for the romantic at heart.

If you’re looking for a theatrical experience that leaves you breathless, CADEL: LUNGS ON LEGS is it. After an acclaimed run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, this interesting and innovative one man show has landed in Australia to delight everyone, from cycling fans to theatrer fans and everyone in between.

There's lots to see in Perth at the moment, and a different kind of spectacle is proving that big-budget showmanship still has a place in the Perth summer. NOW YOU SEE ME LIVE takes the 'magician-vigilante' DNA of the films and strips away the CGI, replacing it with something far more impressive: actual, world-class technical skill with a little bit of humour.

Fringeworld Perth seems to creep up every year, making us wonder what we do in the eleven months in between. One show that has firmly embedded itself in the Fringeworld line up is CLUB D’AMOUR, with its Fringe appearances wonderfully punctuated by the odd standalone show.

Tis the season, it seems. Whilst your normal Christmas show may gloss over the uglier side of Christmas, CAROL leans into it, allowing the festive season to be anything but. A belligerent Santa, a family that can’t be held together with any amount of wrapping tape, and a life falling apart, all come to the fore, with a backdrop of a Christmas that may not be pretty, but is certainly quite familiar to many. With some cheeky humour and warmth to rival a scorching summer, CAROL is the Christmas present you didn’t know you wanted.

What did our critic think of CATS at Crown Theatre?

Let's face it: a musical about a global water shortage that forces people to pay for the privilege of peeing sounds like a nightmare. Yet URINETOWN, presented by Western Sky Projects is anything but. Western Sky Projects has delivered a production that manages to be simultaneously high-brow social commentary and delightfully low-brow fun. It’s a smart, and unexpectedly joyful theatrical experience that reminds you why we love musical theatre—even when the very theatre is actively mocking itself.

What did our critic think of TIVOLI LOVELY at State Theatre Centre?

MONOPOLY: THE UNAUTHORISED MUSICAL, presented by Roundhouse Theatrical Co, emerges as a delightful and impressive example of local community theatre, driven by a passionate and talented team. Born from a WAAPA student's innovative graduation recital, this production has bloomed into a full-scale musical that wonderfully showcases the depth of musical theatre talent that Perth holds.

Just over 100 years ago, Perth was rocked by a murder that paralleled events happening on the other side of the world that were to become the inspiration for the musical Chicago. Theatre 180 transport us to the Roaring Twenties to illustrate how far the truth can be bent in ARTHUR HAYNES AND THE SMOKING GUN, with a mini-season taking place at the very spot of the crime that shook the city, Government House.

It's a twisted tale of desperation and botany that has been delighting audiences for decades, but few productions of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS have managed to balance its comedic and darker elements as deftly as the new one at Planet Royale. The stage evokes the Skid Row setting of the show, but the performances are what truly elevates it, with a small but truly talented cast hitting every part perfectly. Mixing the classic elements with a world-first digital star, Drew Anthony’s production of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS will delight fans who know the show, as well as those only just discovering it.

Andrew Bovell's Speaking in Tongues is less a play and more a masterfully woven tapestry of fractured relationships and chance encounters. Speaking in Tongues​​​​​​​ is at The State Theatre Centre until September 14.

The enchanting tale of Beauty and the Beast has arrived at Perth's Crown Theatre, captivating audiences with its timeless magic and spectacular production.

PLIED AND PREJUDICE, the wildly unhinged adaptation of Jane Austen's beloved novel, has taken Perth by storm, offering a riotous and liquor-soaked theatrical experience. At the heart of this comedic masterpiece is the extraordinary collective ensemble, a cast of five actors tasked with bringing over twenty characters to life in a mere ninety minutes.

Jonathan Biggins brings his acclaimed one-man show THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO PAUL to the State Theatre Centre, offering audiences a captivating and often hilarious journey into the mind of former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating.

Black Swan Theatre Company’s latest offering brings us Deborah Frances-White, celebrated author and host of The Guilty Feminist podcast, making a powerful foray into playwriting with NEVER HAVE I EVER. True to Frances-White’s signature style, the play deftly tackles themes of gender, race, and class, all set against a friendship that beautifully illustrates how, despite our differences, we often share more than we realise. Ture to her comedic style, Frances-White infuses each lesson with a laugh and each laugh with a lesson. Never have I ever left a theatre laughing so loudly but thinking so deeply, until now.