An ambitious new work about the worst engineering disaster in Australian history is set to be one of the major offerings in the Melbourne Theatre Company’s 2026 season. West Gate, written by former shearer and construction worker Dennis McIntosh, will tackle the story of the West Gate Bridge collapse in 1970, a tragedy that claimed the lives of 35 men. Directed by Iain Sinclair, known for his 2019 production of Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge, the play promises to bring this poignant piece of history to life.
MTC artistic director Anne-Louise Sarks was immediately struck by the relevance of McIntosh’s work when she read an early draft nearly two years ago. “I felt like this is a work we need to do because we are a state theatre company, and this story is about Melbourne, it’s for Melbourne,” she stated. “It has a national reach—it’s the worst industrial disaster in Australian history—but it’s our story.”
The Personal Connection
McIntosh’s connection to the West Gate Bridge collapse is deeply personal. “He was at Newport Primary School when the bridge collapsed,” Sarks explained. “He speaks so passionately about it because he has a genuine connection to this story, to those people, and he has worked really hard to engage with survivors and families, to do his research, and the result is a work that is so human.”
Exploring Humanity Through Technology
Also in the line-up is Eliza, a play by Tom Holloway that examines the very notion of what it means to be human. Based on the true story of Dr. Joseph Weizenbaum, to be portrayed by Dan Spielman, the play delves into the life of the MIT professor whose language-simulation program ELIZA, published in 1966, laid the groundwork for modern chatbots. Despite the success of his work, Weizenbaum became a vocal critic of artificial intelligence, particularly its potential military applications.
Sarks noted, “I’m not a hugely technological person, but I knew when I first saw that script that it was a very urgent work. It looks through that historical lens at the questions everyone is asking right now about technology, about AI, about human engagement, and so we need to get that play on next year.”
A Season of Australian Voices
In a program of 12 plays, 10 are by Australian writers, seven are world premieres, and the same number have been developed through the company’s Next Stage writers’ program. “I came to this company [in 2023] with a vision to put Australian work at the centre of the company,” Sarks emphasized. “And this season, I feel, really delivers on that.”
The 2026 program will kick off in January with an encore run of My Brilliant Career, ahead of a tour to Canberra, Sydney, and Wollongong. Talks over an international run for the musical are also progressing.
Upcoming Highlights
- Losing Face by Marieke Hardy, a comedy about perimenopause, wellness, and ageing, starring Genevieve Morris and Michala Banas.
- Do Not Pass Go by Jean Tong, starring Belinda McClory, exploring identity, politics, and generational divides.
- Uncle Vanya reimagined by Joanna Murray-Smith, featuring Daniel Henshall, marking the first MTC staging of a Chekhov play since 2013.
- The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, with Alison Whyte and Tim Draxl leading the cast.
- Retrograde, directed by Bert LaBonte, focusing on a real-life encounter between Sidney Poitier and a studio lawyer in 1950s Hollywood.
International and Historical Context
From the acclaimed duo of S. Shakthidharan and Eamon Flack comes The Jungle and the Sea, a sweeping family drama set against the backdrop of Sri Lanka’s civil war. This play, which debuted at Belvoir St Theatre in 2022, won the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for drama in 2024 and will be part of the 2026 season.
Additionally, making its stage debut in November will be an adaptation of E.M. Forster’s classic novel, A Room With a View, by writer Grace Chapple and director Hannah Goodwin. Nathalie Morris will star as Lucy Honeychurch, a role immortalized by Helena Bonham Carter in the 1985 film adaptation.
The Melbourne Theatre Company’s 2026 season not only promises to be a celebration of Australian talent but also an exploration of themes that resonate on both a local and global scale. As the company continues to push boundaries and challenge audiences, the upcoming season is poised to be a significant cultural event.
