JULIA Comes to Sydney Theatre Company in June

Sydney Theatre Company and Canberra Theatre Centre’s production of Joanna Murray-Smith’s runaway hit, Julia, will return to Melbourne for a strictly limited run at Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse from 25 June ahead of seasons with Queensland Theatre and Merrigong Theatre Company in 2025. Tickets go on sale Thursday 19 December.

Justine Clarke will revive her remarkable performance as Julia Gillard, which has garnered widespread praise for her embodiment of Australia’s first female Prime Minister.

A national tour in 2024 concluded with Clarke having performed the role an incredible 198 times to over 100,000 people around the country since the show's premiere at Canberra Theatre Centre in 2023.

Murray-Smith’s powerful monologue takes us through key moments in Prime Minister Gillard’s life and culminates in a stirring verbatim performance of the famed 2012 ‘misogyny speech’ that sent shockwaves around the world.

Helmed by Helpmann Award-winning director Sarah Goodes (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, Sunday) this unmissable two-hander examines the indelible impact Gillard’s speech has had on an entire generation.

Julia is both a compelling insight into the person behind the public mask and a searing reflection on the experience of women in contemporary politics.

The superb creative team features designer Renée Mulder, lighting designer Alexander Berlage, composer & sound designer Steve Francis, and video designer Susie Henderson.

Julia plays at Arts Centre Melbourne, Playhouse from 25 June-19 July 2025. 

Julia is an STC commission and co-production with Canberra Theatre Centre. 

This play is a fictional imagining by the playwright of true events in the life of Julia Gillard. It combines references to true events, extracts from published works, interviews, fictitious commentary and opinions which the Playwright and the Producers believe to be honestly held. Ms Gillard has not endorsed nor had any artistic input into the production of this play. 

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