Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne will host the premiere of a new stage play based on the iconic Australian film The Castle, from March 2027, with Michael Cassel Group and Working Dog confirming the adaptation will arrive 30 years on from the film’s original release. The production returns to the Kerrigan family and their attempt to save their home, a ‘Darryl versus Goliath fight’ so to speak, with the story’s themes of courage, resilience and community carried across to the stage. Familiar scenes and characters from the film feature throughout, alongside new material and contemporary references added for the theatrical version.
Rather than handing the adaptation to an outside writer, the script has been written by the film’s original creators, Rob Sitch, Tom Gleisner, Santo Cilauro and Jane Kennedy – all four of whom are also attached to the production as co-producers. The four writers reflected on the length of time the idea has been in development and the approach they took to updating the material:
Over the best part of 25 years we have never lost our desire to turn ‘THE CASTLE’ into a live stage show. Not just a retelling of the story but a quarter of a century of funny updates! A celebration of all we love about the Kerrigan family. We wrote this new, fully updated show in the same way that we wrote the film screenplay all those years ago – the four of us in a room trying to make each other laugh. Our goal was to capture the warmth and humour (dare we say, “the vibe”?) of the original story in a way that will hopefully resonate with new and long-term fans alike.
Directing duties have gone to Paige Rattray, whose credits include seasons two and three of the Netflix series Heartbreak High and the world premiere of the musical Fangirls, which toured nationally. Set and costume design will be handled by AACTA Award winner Jonathon Oxlade, who has worked across theatre, film and television on projects including Girl Asleep, Into the Woods and Bluey’s Big Play. Additional creatives are to be confirmed in the coming months.
Producer Michael Cassel spoke about how the project came about and why he considers the material suited to a live audience:
When the team at Working Dog first approached me about bringing The Castle to the stage, I knew we had to do this. The film miraculously captures the specificities of Australian life and yet feels so universally true; family love, the challenges change presents, and the warmth and humour and dignity of ordinary people standing up for what matters. It makes you laugh, and then, before you know it, it makes you cry.
That is exactly what live theatre does at its best and why The Castle was always destined for the stage. To sit together in a theatre and feel the laughter, tears and pride in real time will be incredibly special. I cannot wait to share this story with Australian audiences in a completely new way with our extraordinary creative team.
Victorian Minister for Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos commented on the decision to open the season in Melbourne and what productions of this scale bring to the state:
Melbourne has long been Australia’s home of world-class theatre. It’s especially fitting that audiences will be the first in the country to experience this stage adaptation here, where the film was set, written and produced.
Theatre productions like this encourage people to visit, support local business and jobs, and reinforce the important role the arts play in Victoria.
At the moment only the Melbourne leg of the production has been announced. However, with the iconicness of The Castle, it would surprise me if it didn’t ultimately travel to other states for a fully-fledged national tour. But for now, tickets to the Melbourne season are on-sale via the productions official website.
