Arts Centre Melbourne

Heather Mitchell’s Ruth Bader Ginsburg shares with us a piece of wisdom she received upon wedding her husband Marty: earplugs are the secret to a happy marriage. This nugget reflects the unexpected humour threaded throughout RBG: Of Many, One, which is seen equally in Mitchell’s biting impressions of her male contemporaries. Her version of President Bill Clinton makes a ridiculous yet convincing “nomnomnom” sound, while her Trump is just so… unnervingly Trumpian. This play might be modest in its set dressing and number of cast members, but its sizeable reputation precedes it. Aside from the gargantuan legacy of the former Supreme Court justice whose life this play chronicles, the reputations of both its star and playwright also measure much taller than RBG’s five feet. Suzie Miller, the lawyer-cum-playwright behind Prima Facie, has again put her legal expertise to good use to chronicle RBG’s epic life in a way that demonstrates her deep understanding of the case law underpinning her legacy.  Heather Mitchell is known for Binge’s Love Me and Sydney Theatre Company’s Still Point Turning: The Catherine McGregor Story. Here, under impeccable direction from Priscila Jackman, she excels with a character study so spot on that it feels completely effortless. We meet RBG as she waits anxiously for the call from President Clinton – will she be his next nominee for the Supreme Court of the United States? If she makes the grade, she’ll be the second-ever woman and the first Jewish woman

After a stellar opening in Sydney, Bell Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is going on tour – and the next stop is Melbourne. The classic comedy will be calling Arts Centre Melbourne home from April 25 to May 11.  Kicking off a jam-packed 2024 season, Bell Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream tells the tale of love and mischief over one magical night where fairies, runaway lovers and bumbling actors get entangled in an enchanted forest. Follow along as a talented ensemble of cast and creatives reimagine the magical play, led by director Peter Evans who has pared back the play to 110 minutes and done a spectacular job at reinventing the timeless tale for a new audience. The all-star cast includes Ella Prince playing Puck, along with Ahunim Abede as Hermia, Isabel Burton as Helena, Mike Howlett as Demetrius, Matu Ngaropo as Bottom, Richard Pyros as Oberon, Imogen Sage as Titania and Laurence Young as Lysander. Tickets range from $40 - $110 and you can book them here.

Edit: A second Melbourne show has been added to Dolly Alderton's tour, after her first date completely sold out. She'll now be doing a show at the Palais Theatre on November 13 in addition to her booked out talk at the Arts Centre Melbourne on November 14. Tickets to her talk at the Palais Theatre are on sale now, you can buy them here – snap them up while you can! If you know a young woman who's an avid reader, chances are her eyes will light up at the mention of best-selling author Dolly Alderton. The British writer skyrocketed to popularity with her debut memoir-turned-TV show, Everything I Know About Love – a quasi-bible for those navigating life in the fraught 20s age demographic.  For the very first time, Alderton is headed Down Under for a tour of talks, off the back of her latest New York Times best-selling novel Good Material. She's heading to Arts Centre Melbourne for an appearance on November 14, and bringing along her latest stories for Melburnians to enjoy. Not only is she a beloved author, but Alderton originally gained recognition for her Sunday Times 'Dear Dolly' advice column – and she'll incorporate her favourite anecdotes from this within her live show, as well as her own insightful musings on various aspects of life. Audiences will have a chance to ask questions of their own, too, so get brainstorming.  Alderton will also make appearances in Sydney on November 5 and 6, Perth on November 10 and Brisbane on November 17 before heading to Wellington on Novembe