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🎭Honour

📍Red Stitch, St Kilda

🗓️ 15 February to 16 March

🎟️redstitch.net

Honour is a defining work by one of Australia’s most celebrated playwrights, Joanna Murray-Smith. Red Stitch’s production of this landmark play will celebrate its 30th anniversary, following its original premiere at Playbox Theatre, Melbourne, in 1995.

At its core, Honour explores the devastating impact of infidelity and separation, distilling the chaos of these emotions into an elegant, razor-sharp theatrical experience. The play asks: What happens when everything that once defined you—every role, every relationship—suddenly unravels? What does a mature, intelligent, and loving woman do when her life begins to slip away?

Featuring Red Stitch Ensemble member Caroline Lee as Honor and Peter Houghton as George, Honour presents a timeless examination of self-identity and betrayal. Directed by the multi award-winning Sam Strong, this production promises to bring a fresh, compelling perspective to Murray-Smith’s powerful narrative.

PETER HOUGHTON

Peter Houghton is a highly accomplished Australian actor, director, and playwright with a diverse career in theatre and screen. He has performed in a wide range of notable productions, including Macbeth, Misalliance, The Trial, Travesties, Shakespeare in Love, and Sweet Bird of Youth (Melbourne Theatre Company), as well as Tartuffe, Ruby Moon, and A View of Concrete (Malthouse Theatre). His recent stage work includes Hamlet at 45 Downstairs.

As a playwright, Peter is known for The Pitch (Malthouse, National Tour, UK Tour), The China Incident (National Tour), and A Commercial Farce (Malthouse). His directorial credits include Art and Soul, True Minds, The Odd Couple, The Architect, and Boy at the Edge of Everything (Melbourne Theatre Company), as well as Footprints on Water (Griffin Theatre).

Peter has received multiple Green Room Awards for his acting, directing, and writing, including for his work in The Pitch, Endgame, and Footprints on Water. His production of Boy at the Edge of Everything won a Drama Victoria Award for Best Production. In addition to his stage work, Peter’s screen credits include Molly, Killing Time, Howzat – Kerry Packer’s War, and Utopia.

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🎭The Wind in the Willows

📍Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens

🗓️ 21 December to 25 January

🎟️shakespeareaustralia.com.au

This summer, Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens will once again become a riverside playground for families, when The Australian Shakespeare Company’s The Wind in the Willows returns to celebrate its 38th year of outdoor theatre magic from 21 December 2024 – 25 January 2025.

Featuring Kenneth Grahame’s unforgettable characters—Ratty, Mole, Badger, Otter, Portly, and the ever-daring Mr. Toad—this critically acclaimed production promises laughter, music, and delight for audiences of all ages.

A cherished summer tradition, The Wind in the Willows is packed with surprises, transforming young audience members into honorary “rabbits” with just a wiggle of the ears. Led by the Head Chief Rabbit, the young rabbits are encouraged to sing along, shout out, and dive fully into the story’s adventure. Families can look forward to a lively, interactive performance that captures the magic of outdoor theatre, with a few playful surprises reserved just for adults.

Celebrating over three decades in Melbourne, this production has become a staple of affordable family entertainment in Australia. Blending storytelling, music, and audience parHcipaHon, The Wind in the Willows has captivated generations and remains a must-see summer event.

Audience members are encouraged to bring picnic blankets, favourite snacks, and drinks to enjoy a relaxed, picnic-style event. The performance will move between various scenic spots within the gardens, making it an adventure for the whole family and a unique way to experience theatre under the Melbourne skies.

Scott Jackson

Scott Jackson has a bachelor’s degree in Acting from Federation Uni and has continued training in Stage Combat mainly in Australia with SAFDi and Captivate Action.

He has worked for the Australian Shakespeare Company for over 12 years as a performer, working on Romeo & Juliet (Mercutio) A midsummer Nights Dream (Demetrius) Hamlet (Guildenstern) As You Like It (Le Beau/ Silvius), and Shakespeare’s Best Bits twice (Snout, nominated for a Green Room award). Scott was the Fight Choreographer for the ASC’s new production of Romeo & Juliet in 2023 and currently working on Macbeth as Fight Choreographer. He will be reprising his role as Mr. Toad in Wind in the Willows this summer 24/25!

Scott’s Immersive and Improvised Theatre experience includes: large scale tour of Dirty Dancing. Underground cinema’s Hotel, Kingdom, Call of Duty Black Ops, Edgar Ellen Poe’s world of A Midnight Visit, and Applause Entertainment’s Murder Mystery at Labassa Mansion. Scott Also works for Essence Theatre Productions at Werribee Mansion performing the role of Mr. Bertin in The Dress.

Scott has also been a company member of Melbourne Playback Theatre Company since 2017.

Scott's other credits include: A dogs Tale TV Series WIN TV (Chris), Two Gents (Proteus) for Sheoak Productions, Romeo and Juliet (Romeo) and King Lear (Oswald) for Ozact Theatre Company, Macbeth (Ross) for Melbourne Company of Players and numerous other productions.

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Australian Shakespeare Company present The Merry Wives of Windsor at Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens, running from 21 December 2024 - 25 January 2025.

With the city’s Botanic Gardens as a stunning backdrop, audiences will be treated to a unique theatre experience brimming with comedy, intrigue, and classic Shakespearean wit.

In this merry romp, the audacious and delusional Sir John Falstaff attempts to woo two married women, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page, only to find himself ensnared in a clever scheme devised by the quick-wiPed wives. The result? A hilarious series of pranks and plot twists that will leave audiences in stitches.

With its timeless themes and laugh-out-loud mischief, The Merry Wives of Windsor promises an evening of unforgettable fun for all - whether you’re a Shakespeare enthusiast or experiencing the Bard’s work for the first time.

Glenn Elston

Glenn Elston OAM is the Artistic Director of the Australian Shakespeare Company. He pioneered outdoor theatre in Australia, a whole-family experience, which is now a thirty-year-long summer tradition.

Under Glenn’s direction the company has grown from a group of 12 in 1987 to the largest independent theatre company in Australia.

Glenn’s productions include A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, The Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing, Richard III, Henry IV Pt 1, Hamlet, The Comedy of Errors, Macbeth and As You Like It. He has written and directed for the stage, The Wind in the Willows, Alice in Wonderland, Jungle Book – The Next Chapter, Toad’s Birthday Party, Caribbean Pirates at the Polly Woodside, Alice in Never Neverland, Lady Chatterley’s Lover and a Picnic with Cole Porter.

For the past 16 years, he has also co-presented Walking with Spirits, a celebration of the ancient Aboriginal tradition of Corroboree at Malkgulumbu (Beswick Falls) and produced two major tours through Northern Australia.

Glenn has produced and co-produced a variety of local, national and international shows including, The Sir George Martin in Concert, David Strassman, Hair – The Musical, Two Up with Wendy Stapleton and Glenn Shorrock, Julian Clary, Piaf, Torch Song Trilogy, and Barbara Cook.

Recently his production for children, Jungle Book The Concert Show, toured regional Australia as well as being performed at The Athenaeum Theatre in the 2010 and 2011 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. In 2010 Jungle Book The Concert Show also toured to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. It was during this time that Glenn also presented indigenous performer Noel Tovey’s Little Black Bastard at the 2010 Edinburgh Festival. The show received six five-star reviews.