shake & stir Theatre Company and Queensland Performing Arts Centre, in association with Brisbane Festival, will present the premiere of a brand-new production of the breakout Australian pop musical ‘The Lovers’.
‘The Lovers’, written and composed by Laura Murphy, is a fresh, high-energy reimagining of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ with an electrifying pop score, a dynamic live band, and a lot of heart.
It’s sure to captivate Brisbane audiences, presenting Shakespeare in a whole new way. . . Making its Queensland debut after a sold-out premiere season at the Sydney Opera House in 2023.
“We are beyond excited to bring a new interpretation of this stellar work by the incredibly talented Laura Murphy to QPAC’s stage as part of Brisbane Festival,” shake & stir Artistic Director Nick Skubij says.
Nick is the Director of ‘The Lovers’.
“shake & stir is known for creating bold, high-impact theatre and touring it across the country, and while we’re best known for our dramatic works, musical theatre has always been part of our creative DNA. It’s been a while since our national tour of Green Day’s ‘American Idiot’, and we’ve been waiting for the right moment — and the right show — to return to the genre. Though we’ve toured Shakespeare extensively to schools nationwide, The Lovers marks our first mainstage dive into one of his classics. We couldn’t be more excited to bring it to life in spectacular, musical form.”
“Imagine a bold, genre-defying production that combines sharp wit, vibrant energy, and powerful storytelling – ‘The Lovers’ is all that and more! Literally love and pop and Shakespeare pouring off the stage.”
Some of the country’s most revered creatives are working alongside Nick – including Choreographer Yvette Lee, Music Director Heidi Maguire, Designer Isabel Hudson, Video and Sound Designer David Bergman, and Lighting Designer Trent Suidgeest.
“New productions co-produced by QPAC and Brisbane Festival have become a joint priority in recent years – both organisations are always looking for work that can be both a highlight of the Festival programme and a work with the touring potential to reach wider audiences,” QPAC Chief Executive Rachel Healy says.
“I was lucky enough to see ‘GRIMM’ at Brisbane Festival last year and so when this project was pitched to us as a new production with our friends at Shake & Stir, we jumped at the opportunity.
“Under shake & stir’s creative leadership, I have no doubt this adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic will win a whole new legion of fans.
“You couldn’t get a ticket once The Lovers opened its national premiere at the Sydney Opera House; it was the talk of the town and I anticipate it will be a similarly hot ticket within this year’s Brisbane Festival.”
Tickets are on sale now.
‘The Lovers’ is on at Queensland Performing Arts Centre 13 September-5 October.
