Melbourne Theatre Guide: Five Must-See Shows in July 2026
The theatre season in Melbourne for July 2026 will showcase five different productions. After a successful run at the RISING festival, 'Heartbreak Hotel' by EBKM will return to Arts Centre Melbourne from July 14-19, having won Time Out's Critic's Choice Best Play Award. Heather McDonald's 'Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity' will debut at Theatre Works from July 21 to August 1, under the direction of Nadia Tass. From July 23 to August 25, 'Funeral Flowers' by Emma Dennis-Edwards, featuring Lucy Ansell, will be staged at Red Stitch Actors Theatre. Suzy Eddie Izzard will present 'Hamlet' at Arts Centre Melbourne from June 30 to July 12, while Melbourne Theatre Company's adaptation of 'Uncle Vanya' will run from July 21 to August 22. Additional performances include 'Rabbit & Watson' and 'And What Will People Say.'
Key facts
- Heartbreak Hotel by EBKM runs July 14-19 at Arts Centre Melbourne.
- Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity premieres July 21-August 1 at Theatre Works.
- Funeral Flowers by Emma Dennis-Edwards runs July 23-August 25 at Red Stitch Actors Theatre.
- Suzy Eddie Izzard performs Hamlet June 30-July 12 at Arts Centre Melbourne.
- Uncle Vanya adaptation by Joanna Murray-Smith runs July 21-August 22 at Arts Centre Melbourne.
- Heartbreak Hotel won Time Out's Critic's Choice Best Play Award.
- Funeral Flowers won the Scotsman Fringe First Award in 2018.
- Masterpieces is directed by Nadia Tass, who also directed its US premiere.
Entities
Artists
- Suzy Eddie Izzard
- Mark Izzard
- Eleanor Bishop
- Karin McCracken
- Simon Leary
- Heather McDonald
- Nadia Tass
- Jane Montgomery-Griffiths
- Kate Cole
- Laila Thaker
- Emma Dennis-Edwards
- Lucy Ansell
- Joanna Murray-Smith
- Anne-Louise Sarks
- Shaun Micallef
- Catherine Văn-Davies
- Don Bridges
- Daniel Henshell
- Philippa Northeast
- Fayssal Bazzi
- Shane Woon
- Amani Mahmoud
- Kate Mulqueen
- Eva Di Cesare
- Krystalla Pearce
- Stephen A Russell
- Paul Capsis
- Adam Noviello
- Gina Moffatt
- Phoebe Waller-Bridge
- Richard Gadd
Institutions
- Arts Centre Melbourne
- Theatre Works
- Red Stitch Actors Theatre
- Melbourne Theatre Company
- RISING festival
- Edinburgh Fringe Festival
- Summerhall
- Signature Theatre
- Ensemble Theatre
- Darebin Arts Speakeasy
- fortyfive downstairs
- Sydney Fringe
- Monkey Baa Theatre
- ScreenHub
- ArtsHub
- Time Out
- UNESCO
- AACTA
- Logie Awards
- Netflix
- ABC
- Red Stitch
Locations
- Melbourne
- Australia
- Naarm
- Arts Centre Melbourne
- Theatre Works
- St Kilda
- Red Stitch Actors Theatre
- Northcote Town Hall
- fortyfive downstairs
- Sydney
- Edinburgh
- Washington DC
- New Zealand
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Tottenham