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The exterior of a city theatre lit up pink at night.

The ultimate theatre guide to Melbourne

What's on in Melbourne's theatres, clubs, cabaret bars and comedy spots.

The full cast of the musical Book of Mormon on stage singing and dancing, with a painted sky coloured background and other theatre props.
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The Book of Mormon

Australia’s biggest ever musical comedy returns this February.

Magician balancing one finger on a globe, suspended updside down, wearing a white suit and hat.
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Piccolo Teatro: Magic Theatre

Specialising in astonishing magic shows and immersive live entertainment.

A smiling woman with blond hair holding up a whole cherry pie in a dish in front of her chin, with steam rising from the pie.
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Waitress The Musical

The irresistible Broadway hit about resilience, friendship and hope.

Visitors enjoying an evening event at the National Gallery of Victoria, seated on stools under shadowy lighting.
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NGV Friday Nights: Cartier

NGV Friday Nights shine with Cartier, featuring live music, flims, food and drinks.

Characters from the PAW Patrol TV series performing live on a theatre stage, with streamers in the air above them and a large audience watching them.
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PAW Patrol Live: Race to the Rescue

The beloved pups of PAW Patrol hit the stage in this interactive live show.

A silhouette of a person dancing on a stage with a pink floor, in front of screens displaying the words "ONE LAST PASS"
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Heartbreak Hotel

The sold-out RISING hit Heartbreak Hotel returns to steal your heart again.

A yellow vintage phone on a wooden table illuminated by a desk lamp, part of an interactive theatre installation at the Malthouse Theatre.
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The Nightline

A crafted theatrical audio-installation experience inspired by late-night anonymous voice messages.

A seated group of improv comedians, all looking seriously at the camera.
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Improvised Comedy: The Remix

Improvised comedy from true stories, sampled and remixed to create comedy gold.

Close-up portrait of a woman with short, curly brown hair. She is wearing heavy, dark eye makeup.

La Caduta: Live Play Reading

Live play reading, in both English and Italian.

A fluffy dog on top of a building with a fake skyline in the background of skyscrapers and a large moon.
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New Owner

Using puppetry and live action animation, New Owner takes us on an adventure through a dog’s eyes.

Ensemble cast of performers on stage, all wearing white t-shirts, blue trousers and braces, with their arms raised in the air, improvising in front of an audience.
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Defrost Festival

Showcasing over 50 unique events dedicated to improv and sketch comedy.

A social gathering with three people interacting, focused on literature and wine; the image has a purple filter over it with a blue circle overlaid in the centre.

Q-Lit Festival: Words & Wine

Four wildly different queer storytellers are paired with four fantastic local wines.

Two young people seated on stone steps.
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Saplings

Youth theatre celebrating the survival instincts of young people.

Portrait of Australian musical theatre star Silvie Paladino as she stands with her hands on her hips in a formal gown, in front of bright stage lighting.

Morning Melodies: Silvie Paladino – A Life on Stage

Australian musical theatre star Silvie Paladino reflects on her remarkable journey in the spotlight.

Two performers on a stage, a man dressed in a suit, looking at a man with his arms outstretched suspended by an aerial rope above a low pool of water.
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Watershed: The Death of Dr Duncan

A dazzling new operatic work by some of Australia’s most acclaimed creative talents.

Illustration of a white swan, a trumpet and a yellow sun, all superimposed on top of each other, against a pale background.
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The Trumpet of the Swan

An adaptation of E.B. White’s gorgeous novel The Trumpet of the Swan for orchestra and actors.

Three classical musicians surrounded by glittering scolls and stars.

The Wagner Gala Concert

A landmark, one-night-only musical event to mark the reopening of the Ian Potter State Theatre.

Graphic illustration of a light bulb.
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Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind

An ensemble performs 30 plays in only 60 minutes.

Bearded man holding an open book in a misty space, holding his hand in the air.
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Dungeons and Improvisers

Live improvised storytelling with heart, humour and heroes who shouldn’t be trusted.

A spired building on a sunny day

The best kid's theatre shows on in Melbourne

Featuring musical theatre, magic shows and more.

Singers and dancers on a theatre stage in a scene from A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, with spotlights and stage sets.
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A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical

An inspiring, exhilarating, energetic musical memoir.

Comedian Rao lilt in red and green with floral backdrop.
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Scientist Comedy Show

A stand-up comedy show by an astronomer turned comedian.

A director's chair in front of a small desk and mirror with makeup lights and a wig on a mannequin stand.
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Mackenzie

A camp, dark and deranged retelling of Macbeth, set in the heights of early 2000s TV stardom.

Gilded outline of Barbra Streisand's profile.

The Way We Were Starring Melinda Schneider

Celebrating the music and life of Barbra Streisand.

View of Melbourne from across the Yarra River
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Ballet of Lights: Peter Pan in a Sparkling Show

Peter Pan lights up Neverland in a dazzling dance spectacle.

King Arthur and knights standing on stage in medieval dress.
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Monty Python's Spamalot

A riotous retelling of the adventures of King Arthur and his loyal Knights.

Group of young people lying on an orange floor with cushions and guitar.
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Our Seventh String

A new Australian musical exploring memory, art and what it means to create.

A person wearing large yellow sunglasses, bright red lipstick, a blue drip coming out from one of their nostrils, and a white compression bandage around their head and chin, against a solid blue background.
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Losing Face

Strap in for a perimenopausal Weekend at Bernie’s – a wildly funny, no-holds-barred new comedy.

Four performers seated at a table on a stage behind a table, with a person guiding them through a Dungeons and Dragons style improvised adventure.
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Dice Goblins

An epic monthly D&D campaign where a Dungeon Master guides improvisers through a perilous adventure.

Woman wearing a tie and waistcoat with short dark hair and lipstick, circular pattern on the wall behind her.
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A Twist of Fate: Season 5

Featuring four brand-new short plays, each with its own devastating twist or reveal.

A train station lit up in rainbow lights

Melbourne's best drag shows and queer-friendly venues

Find burlesque life drawing, cabaret and the best queer-friendly venues in Melbourne.

View of Melbourne from across the Yarra River
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A Streetcar Named Go F**k Yourself

A tale of gay friendship under the heat of the European sun.

A woman on a stepladder in a garden pours water from a watering can over a man standing below.
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Uncle Vanya

Chekhov’s timeless tale, full of mordant wit, unrequited love and longing, finds new life.

A drawing of five colorful sheep (purple, blue, yellow, orange, and red) walking on a green grassy hill with small flowers.
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Where is the Green Sheep?

A wild and woolly adventure to find that elusive green sheep.

Five people dressed in 1920s explorer costumes standing in front of a wall of Egyptian hieryoglyphics.

Murder on the Nile

An Agatha Christie-inspired murder mystery dinner experience like no other.

Singers Amelia Ryan and Libby O’Donovan, both wearing dark tops and smiling, posed against a red velvet curtain.

Morning Melodies: I Am Woman

Hear a tribute to the women who redefined Australian music in the swinging 1960s.

Opera singers, Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Georgia Wilkinson, smiling and standing next to each other in front of a black background.

Morning Melodies: Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Georgia Wilkinson

Teddy Tahu Rhodes and Georgia Wilkinson perform at this Morning Melodies concert.

People dressed as characters from Fawlty Towers, with Basil strangling Manuel as Sybil talks on the phone.
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Faulty Towers: The Dining Experience

The global sensation returns with a fully immersive dining experience.

Six female performers on a purple lit stage in costumes and striking poses, all singing into microphones they hold in their hands.
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SIX the Musical

SIX the Musical makes its royal stage return to Melbourne's Comedy Theatre.

A crowd of people standing, listening and watching an event; the image is stylized with a dual-tone colour filter, a teal circle over a magenta wash.

Q-Lit Festival: Panel Main Character Energy

A discussion on taking up space in the entertainment world.

More theatre and shows

Melbourne's major theatres

Audience in curved rows of seating looking towards the stage curtain inside the Regent Theatre.

Regent Theatre

This landmark theatre is one of Melbourne’s premier live performance venues.

Rows of red seats in the historic Princess Theatre.

Princess Theatre

Melbourne’s iconic Princess Theatre is regarded by many as Melbourne’s most spectacular landmark.

Tiered seating and red plush stage curtain.

Her Majesty's Theatre

This heritage-listed theatre has provided entertainment for Melbourne since 1886.

Comedy Theatre stage and tiered seating.

Comedy Theatre

The historic Comedy Theatre hosts musicals, drama and yes, comedies.

Heritage-listed Athenaeum building, with columns and ornate capitals.

Athenaeum Theatre

This heritage-listed venue hosts comedy, music and theatre.

Striking geometric design of the Southbank Theatre, illuminated at night.

Southbank Theatre

Performance space and home of the Melbourne Theatre Company.

Arts Centre Melbourne with winter trees and blue sky, surrounded by city buildings.

Arts Centre Melbourne

With its iconic spire, the Arts Centre Melbourne is a cultural and architectural landmark.

Performance space and seating inside La Mama Courthouse.

La Mama Courthouse

One of the great independent theatres of the city with a focus on diversity and inclusivity.

More theatre venues

Seating and stage in Fairfax Studio, an intimate theatre space.

Fairfax Studio

An intimate theatre presenting smaller-scale and experimental productions.

Performance space and seating inside La Mama Courthouse.

La Mama Courthouse

One of the great independent theatres of the city with a focus on diversity and inclusivity.

A performer wearing a bikini and holding a firestick above her open mouth in a small cabaret venue.

Speakeasy Theatre

A lively, historic vaudeville theatre featuring burlesque, cabaret, comedy and circus every week.

Discover more

Two friends are leaving a theatre.

The best pre- and post-theatre dining in Melbourne

Fuel up before a big show or extend your city visit at these local eateries.

People milling around Fed Square at night.

Melbourne's unmissable after dark events

From hidden laneway markets to epic pop-ups, Melbourne gets lit once the lights go out.

A stage with a grand facade to look like a building, with crowds waiting for a band to come on stage.

The ultimate Melbourne live gig guide

Concert halls and music venues hosting live music this week

People sitting in a dark movie theatre and facing the screen.

Film

Melbourne has a thriving film scene, with film festivals and screenings at cinemas year-round.