It was hinted that something surprising would feature at QPAC during Brisbane Festival 2025, and today we discovered what that is going to be. Shake & Stir Theatre Co, in collaboration with Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) and Brisbane Festival, has announced a brand-new production of The Lovers, set to run at the Playhouse from 13 September to 5 October 2025.
Written and composed by Laura Murphy, The Lovers pitches itself as a fresh, high-energy pop musical reimagining of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, complete with an electrifying score, a dynamic live band, and plenty of heart. Romantic, rebellious, and bursting with fun, this retelling of Shakespeare’s classic promises to deliver a unique experience, much like many of the other productions, musical or otherwise, that Shake & Stir Theatre Co has brought to Queensland and Australian audiences over the years.
Following its sold-out premiere season at the Sydney Opera House in 2023, this Queensland debut will be directed by Shake & Stir’s Artistic Director Nick Skubij, whose previous works include Frankenstein and Fourteen. Sharing his enthusiasm for the project, Skubij said:
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 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.
Of course, this isn’t a one-man production, with The Lovers to feature a team of notable creatives, including Choreographer Yvette Lee (Follies), Music Director Heidi Maguire (SIX the Musical), Designer Isabel Hudson (Dear Evan Hansen), Video and Sound Designer David Bergman (The Picture of Dorian Gray), and Lighting Designer Trent Suidgeest (Frankenstein). As for whom will be portraying each character… casting details are expected to be shared soon.
QPAC Chief Executive Rachel Healy expressed her excitement about the collaboration, highlighting it as part of QPAC’s commitment to supporting Queensland companies in developing and presenting new works. She shared:
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 program and a work with the touring potential to reach wider audiences.
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
Brisbane Festival Artistic Director Louise Bezzina added:
Laura Murphy’s razor-sharp writing and irresistible pop score had me hooked from the first beat when I saw it at the Sydney Opera House. It’s fresh, funny and wildly entertaining. With Shake & Stir at the helm, I know it’s going to raise the roof.
Tickets for The Lovers will go on sale at 9.00am on 30 April 2025 (this Wednesday) via both the QPAC Website, their in-person box office, or by contacting their ticketing team on 136 246.
