Laughter and triumph, horror and heartbreak – Griffin Theatre Company’s 2026 season is one of intimate Australian stories, up close and personal.
The offering is a tour-de-force of exquisite Australian theatre, featuring five plays, fourteen actors, and some incredible new works.
It’s the final season outside of the SBW Stables Theatre, and includes the revival of Steve J. Spears’ classic ‘The Elocution Of Benjamin Franklin’, starring Simon Burke, the mainstage debut of Iolanthe’s ‘SISTREN’, Happy Feraren’s genre-melding debut play ‘SAVIOR’, Declan Greene and Zahra Newman’s acclaimed reimagining of ‘Wake In Fright’, and the brand-new comedy, ‘Mum Club’, by Budawang/Yuin woman Jorjia Gillis.
The iconic SBW Stables Theatre is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar redevelopment, after closing its doors to the public in April 2024. The project will see the theatre’s upstairs auditorium transform into a state-of-the-art, digitally enhanced theatre, set to open to the public in 2027.
Griffin’s artist development programme, Griffin Lookout, will run alongside the main season – providing indie theatre makers with a season, as well as producing and artistic support from the Griffin team. Past Griffin Lookout shows include ‘SISTREN’ by Iolanthe, ‘Birdsong Of Tomorrow’ by Nathan Harrison, ‘UFO’ by re:group, ‘A Is For Apple’ by Jessica Bellamy, ‘Mother May We’ by Mel See, and ‘Jali’ by Oliver Twist.
In 2026, Griffin Lookout presents ‘Afterglow’ by Sheanna Parker Russon and Lillian M. Hearne, and ‘Iacuna’ by emerging Chinese Australian playwright Eric Jiang.
“In our final season before we return to the Stables we’re returning to what makes Griffin. . . Well, Griffin,” Griffin Artistic Director Declan Greene says. “Compelling new plays, Incredible actors, all so close you can feel the heat of the stage lights. This year we are zooming in on moments of heartbreak, catastrophe, joy. In 2026 that means Zahra Newman, Simon Burke, Miranda Tapsell alongside blazing next generation talent in plays that swing from the global scale of international aid to the intimate crisis of new motherhood.”
“This is Griffin, up close and personal. Come squeeze in for our final year before we return home.”
Check out the full Griffin Theatre Company 2026 season.
Griffin Theatre Company’s 2026 season opens with ‘The Elocution Of Benjamin Franklin’ in February.
