An ambitious new production about Australia’s worst engineering disaster headlines the Melbourne Theatre Company’s 2026 season. West Gate, crafted by former shearer and construction worker Dennis McIntosh, delves into the tragic 1970 West Gate Bridge collapse that claimed 35 lives. Directed by Iain Sinclair, known for his 2019 minimalist rendition of Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge, the play promises a poignant exploration of this historical event.
MTC Artistic Director Anne-Louise Sarks was captivated by McIntosh’s script upon first reading it 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 remarked. “It has a national reach – it’s the worst industrial disaster in Australian history – but it’s our story.”
McIntosh, who was a student at Newport Primary School during the collapse, brings a personal connection to the narrative. “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,” Sarks added.
Exploring Humanity Through Theatre
Another intriguing piece in the season is Eliza by Tom Holloway, which examines the essence of humanity through the lens of technology. The play is inspired by Dr. Joseph Weizenbaum, portrayed by Dan Spielman, a computer science professor at MIT who developed the language-simulation program ELIZA in 1966. Despite its success, Weizenbaum became a vocal critic of artificial intelligence, particularly its military applications.
“I’m not a hugely technological person, but I knew when I first saw that script that it was a very urgent work,” Sarks commented. “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. I think there’s something quite beautiful about the very human form of theatre grappling with that challenge.”
A Season Rich in Australian Talent
The 2026 program features 12 plays, with 10 penned by Australian writers, seven of which are world premieres. Many 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 explained. “And this season, I feel, really delivers on that.”
The season kicks off in January with an encore of My Brilliant Career, ahead of a tour to Canberra, Sydney, and Wollongong. International talks for the musical are also underway. New works include Marieke Hardy’s Losing Face, a comedy about perimenopause and ageing, and Jean Tong’s Do Not Pass Go, starring Belinda McClory in a drama exploring identity and generational divides.
Reimagining Classics and New Adaptations
Acclaimed actor Daniel Henshall returns to the stage in Joanna Murray-Smith’s reimagining of Uncle Vanya, marking MTC’s first Chekhov production since 2013. Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie will also be revived, featuring Alison Whyte and Tim Draxl in April.
Bert LaBonte, having debuted as a director with Top Dog/Underdog, will next direct Retrograde, a play about a real-life 1950s encounter between Sidney Poitier and a studio lawyer. Additionally, The Jungle and the Sea, a family drama set during Sri Lanka’s civil war, will be featured after its award-winning debut at Belvoir St Theatre.
In November, Grace Chapple and Hannah Goodwin’s adaptation of E.M. Forster’s A Room With a View will premiere, starring Nathalie Morris as Lucy Honeychurch.
The Melbourne Theatre Company’s 2026 season not only showcases a diverse range of stories but also reaffirms its commitment to Australian narratives and talent, promising a year of compelling theatre that resonates both locally and nationally.
