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 catastrophe that claimed the lives of 35 men. Directed by Iain Sinclair, known for his work on MTC’s 2019 production of A View from the Bridge, the play aims to bring this poignant piece of history to life.
MTC artistic director Anne-Louise Sarks was immediately struck by the relevance of McIntosh’s piece when she read an early draft almost 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 says. “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 when the bridge collapsed, brings a personal connection to the project. “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 adds.
Exploring Humanity Through Theatre
Also in the line-up is Eliza, a work that examines the very notion of what it means to be human. Written by Tom Holloway, the play is based on the true story of Dr. Joseph Weizenbaum, portrayed by Dan Spielman. Weizenbaum, a professor of computer science at MIT, developed the language-simulation program ELIZA in 1966, which ultimately gave rise to modern chatbots.
The success of his work, however, troubled Weizenbaum, who became a leading critic of artificial intelligence and its potential adoption by the military-industrial complex. “I’m not a hugely technological person, but I knew when I first saw that script that it was a very urgent work,” says Sarks. “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.”
Celebrating Australian Talent
The 2026 program features 12 plays, with 10 written by Australian writers. Seven of these 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,” says Sarks. “And this season, I feel, really delivers on that.”
The season 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. New works include Losing Face by Marieke Hardy, a comedy about perimenopause, wellness, and ageing, and Do Not Pass Go by Jean Tong, a drama exploring identity, politics, and generational divides.
Classic Revivals and New Adaptations
Acclaimed screen actor Daniel Henshall will return to the stage in Joanna Murray-Smith’s reimagining of Uncle Vanya, marking the first MTC staging of a Chekhov play since 2013. Another classic being revived is The Glass Menagerie, with Alison Whyte and Tim Draxl leading the cast in April.
Bert LaBonte, having made his directorial debut last year, will next tackle Retrograde, a play centered on a real-life encounter between Sidney Poitier and a studio lawyer in 1950s Hollywood. From the acclaimed duo of S. Shakthidharan and Eamon Flack comes The Jungle and the Sea, a sweeping family drama set against Sri Lanka’s civil war backdrop.
Making its stage debut in November will be an adaptation of E.M. Forster’s A Room With a View, with Nathalie Morris starring as Lucy Honeychurch. This role was made famous by Helena Bonham Carter in the 1985 film adaptation.
The announcement of the 2026 season reflects MTC’s commitment to showcasing both historical and contemporary narratives that resonate with audiences today. As the company continues to prioritize Australian stories, the upcoming season promises to be a compelling exploration of identity, history, and the human condition.
