Theatre 180 has a packed year ahead with an exciting program of new and much-loved works which will take the company around the State.
The company has been described as innovative and exciting, showcasing WA drama in a compelling way that truly engages and impacts its audience.
Looking at this year’s program it certainly lives up to this ethos. There’s the uplifting but sad story of A.B. Facey, stories of overcoming adversity in war, a murder, a prison break and the joyous winning of the America’s Cup.
Theatre 180 executive director Rebecca Davis says the year starts with A.B. Facey’s A Fortunate Life by Jenny Davis and Stuart Halusz. Nearly 160 performances have been performed throughout the metropolitan area, regional WA and interstate.
“This year we perform A Fortunate Life at the Koorliny Arts Centre in Kwinana on February 8, then at a Perth venue to be announced from April 6 to 11, followed by the Don Russell Performing Arts Centre in Gosnells May 1 and Kalamunda Arts Centre May 2, finishing at Mandurah Arts Centre on May 4.
“Thanks to funding through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DGLSC), we are also taking The Lighthouse Girl Saga by Jenny Davis and Hellie Turner to nine venues around WA, so we are really excited about that.
“We start at Margaret River on February 15, then to Esperance March 1, Merredin March 6, Narrogin March 8, Balingup March 14, Boyup Brook March 16, Harvey March 21, Nannup March 23 and Beverley March 29.”
Theatre 180 is honoured to be among the seven Major Event Program projects as part of Albany 2026. Led by City of Albany, thanks to a generous grant from major supporter Lotterywest, their oral history capture project Our Place: Rain or Shine is a creative intergeneration project about personal connection and individual responses to place.
Local community members are sharing stories, insights and experiences about place, across time, culture and generations. This project will culminate in a bespoke CinePlay theatre production in 2026 featuring cast, creatives, local ensembles and community connected to Albany.
If someone has a connection to Albany and would like to share their story, they should contact Theatre 180. In the lead up to this project they are presenting the play Don’t Forget Me Cobber, heartfelt stories of connection in times of war, to be staged at the Recollections of War Museum at Youngs Siding this year on February 22 and 23.
“The ticket price also includes entry to the museum which lies between Albany and Denmark and is filled with memorabilia from any theatre of war, an absolute treasure trove with around 30,0000 books as well,” Rebecca says. “It’s privately built and located on a farm run by John and Kathryn Shapland.”
Back at their Perth base at the Como Theatre from May 14 to 18, Theatre 180 will present Taking Liberty by Ingle Knight, a collaboration with the WA Museum about the 1983 American’s Cup win that had its world-premiere sold-out season in 2023.
Following is a return season of the acclaimed 21 Hearts: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke, by Jenny Davis from June 19 to 22.
“21 Hearts had two sold-out seasons at the Como Theatre last year and we are thrilled to have DLGSC funding to also take it on tour through regional WA this year, performing in York on May 24, Kalgoorlie May 31, Bridgetown June 7, Beverley June 14, Albany June 28 and Geraldton July 4.”
Theatre 180 is also currently in development, in collaboration with Government House Foundation, of a new work, Arthur Haynes and The Smoking Gun by Jenny Davis. It marks the 100th anniversary of the infamous murder in Government House ballroom of Cyril Gidley by his ex-fiancée Audrey Jacob, a story well known to many Western Australians.
The season will run at Government House from September 11–13.
Also in development is Catalpa: Flight to Freedom by Stuart Halusz and Myles Pollard, based on the escape of six military Fenians from Fremantle Prison in April 1876.
“It’s an incredible story about how an old whaling ship sailed across the world from Boston to waters off Rockingham with spies infiltrating Fremantle prison to help free Irish political prisoners held there by the British army,” Rebecca says.
“Next year is the 150th anniversary of this event and we are collaborating with the WA Museum on this exciting world-premiere season at the end of 2025.
”To finish the year, CircuitWest, a terrific touring organisation, is taking our production of Taking Liberty on a large WA regional and outer metropolitan tour, as part of the State Government’s Shows on the Go program from November 12 to December 20.
“Venues will be announced in the next few months.
“All up, we are really looking forward to a busy year with lots of compelling WA stories using our wonderful WA creatives and crew.”
For further details and bookings, visit: www.theatre180.com.au.
