Passion. Politics. Power. Set against the backdrop of empire and ambition, Cleopatra & Antony's fateful romance unfolds with devastating intensity in a visceral fusion of rich language and sharp, contemporary direction from Sonya Suares ('The Lucky Country', Lawler Theatre). Melbourne Shakespeare Company follows a string of acclaimed productions at fortyfivedownstairs – 'Julius Caesar', 'Hamlet' and 'Othello' – with a gripping, modern take on one of the Bard’s great tragedies.

Holly and Sam share a dream – to join the most elite squad in competitive summer sport: ballkids at the Australian Open. Funny, moving and excruciatingly human, 'Ballkids' opens with a chance encounter and jump-cuts through the next two decades of Holly and Sam’s shared life together. Following rave reviews (★★★★★ The Age) and a Green Room Award win for Best New Writing for Liv Satchell, VIMH ('The Grief Trilogy') are bringing back this smash hit of Melbourne Fringe 2024, directed by Julian Dibley-Hall ('The View From Up Here', Theatreworks).

Xavier meets Sebastian in high school. They instantly hit it off, but it doesn't take long for things to get complicated. Moving through university and into the real world, Xavier fumbles through relationships and friendships, continuing to orbit Sebastian, sometimes closely, sometimes from afar. Presented by fortyfivedownstairs as part of the 2026 Fringe Festival, Margot Morales ('And She Would Stand Like This', Antipodes Theatre) directs the Melbourne premiere of Eric Jiang's funny and touching play about the unexpected forms love takes. 

Dierdre is stuck – between friends, lovers and nations; haunted by the ghosts of the lives she almost lived. When her old school friends gather in her kitchen on Christmas Eve, their once charming differences devolve into divisive fractures, revealing a dormant powder keg tempting the tiniest of sparks. Patalog Theatre in association with fortyfivedownstairs presents the Melbourne premiere of Grace Chapple’s “remarkable debut” (Arts Hub), directed by Marni Mount ('Trophy Boys').

In a new production presented by Lunatix Theatre and directed by Maeve Hook ('Never Closer'), Kenneth Lonergan’s 'This Is Our Youth' is a darkly humorous, bittersweet portrait of youth poised on the cusp of adulthood. Three privileged Upper West Side kids — drug-dealing Dennis; his dispirited, free-thinking best friend, Warren; and self-conscious fashion student Jessica — hang out, smoke pot, scheme for cash, and challenge each other. We follow them as they make tentative steps towards authentic, vulnerable connection, all in 24 hours.

Created by some of Australia's most decorated performing arts legends – Nicci Wilks, Susie Dee, Patricia Cornelius, Angus Cerini, Wayne Macauley and Melissa Reeves – Rodeo Clown is about the dangerous business of staying alive. This groundbreaking Australian work, featuring the extraordinary Nicci Wilks, is a uniquely Australian cocktail of larrikin humour and high-stakes artistry, where the traditional relationship between rodeo clown and rider becomes a heart-stopping dance and a masterclass in comedic timing.