Type – Australian Made Musical, Novel to Stage Adaptation,
If you liked – Once, Muriel’s Wedding, Bright Star (Hayes Theatre Co)
My Brilliant Career: Imbued with a feminist voice, charm and soul, this is Australian musical theatre at its most exceptional
Set in a drought stricken, 1899 rural Australian family home, My Brilliant Career follows Sybylla Melvyn (Kala Gare); a determined, imaginative, stereotype breaking teenager who dreams of having a career as a writer. Always clashing with her mum, she doesn’t want to become a wife or a mother; she’s passionate and unapologetic about wanting to write, sing, create, explore and be her own person. She wants a life for herself that’s bigger than what others imagine possible.
More than 120 years since a teenaged (Stella) Miles Franklin submitted her novel (using a male name so it could be considered publishable), the themes of women’s rights and equality are still painfully current and relevant today – though thankfully not to the same extent.
Adapting a period piece for the current theatrical landscape doesn’t always translate well, and it is fascinating to see why this adaptation works so brilliantly. Fusing the 19th Century with contemporary, the work remains set in 1899 while utilising contemporary language. There’s great self-awareness around our country’s history and the theatrical and stylistic ‘rules’ are bent and reimagined on every front.
In the program note, director Anne-Lousie Sarks remarks “with the most minimal design, using only what was necessary, I wanted to invite the audience into the act of imagining, allowing a sense of freedom and inventiveness to shape the entire production”. Marg Horwell’s costume design blends period authenticity with contemporary fashion and even includes a corset made from vintage bowtie fabric. In building Sybylla’s world, she says, “we start with a more subdued, period-appropriate world, and as the show progresses, the costumes become more saturated in colour and more playful in silhouette”.
The work has a great sense of immediacy, and that’s driven by the fact that we can see everything that’s happening on stage at all times. The text also builds the intimacy through Sybylla’s prose; by directly addressing the audience with her inner dialogue, she shares the things with us that she can’t bear to say out loud in her world. There’s no curtains or large set pieces, just the band on-stage throughout, performing atop the hay-covered, set with a handful of props. The 10-strong band are the same people who make up the 10-strong cast of actors – it’s an exceptionally skilled group of multi-disciplinary performers who each play multiple characters, multiple instruments, as well as sing and dancing.
Matthew Frank’s score is filled with raucous and hilarious ensemble numbers, unique and fun instrumentation, and even has a few pieces that I expect will be in the Music Theatre contemporary audition song books in years to come. It’s filled with nods to a multitude of genres and eras and includes some very recognisable, Aussie soundscapes which I think is what adds to the sense of immediacy – not to mention, it’s a refreshing and welcomed change to hear the Australian accent sung in a theatre. Dean Bryant and Sheridan Harbridge’s text bring the story into the contemporary sphere making it so accessible to the current Australian audience, it’s been approached with great agility, fresh context and an astute level of self-awareness; it’s a resounding success.
As Sybylla, Kala Gare is a powerhouse force of nature. From loveable, ocker, fiercely funny and frustratingly stubborn, to delivering honest vulnerability with such authenticity and generosity it catches you off guard, Gare’s characterisation is powerfully moving. She isn’t just delivering this complex character with the greatest conviction and believability, the role also allows her to show off her her incredible vocal chops and multi-disciplinary musical sensitivity as she transitions from belting pub rock and power ballads to gentle harmonies and comedic poppy numbers.
Raj Labade’s hopeful husband-to-be Harry is charming and delicate both vocally and in his characterisation. While being tonally very contrasting to Gare, his comedic moments beautifully match her energetic presence and they create very watchable chemistry. Lincoln Elliott brings a refined and full-bodied commitment to each of his characters, Melanie Bird is compelling and transformative and Drew Livingston brings hilariously hateable, relatable and iconic characters to life, while being a driving force in the tapestry of sound.
Christina O’Neill’s performance is deeply grounded; her sense of resignation and despair that she’s pushed so far down is palpable, and she brings a rich-tone and steadiness to the ensemble that is needed in this cracker-paced work. Cameron Barjraktarevic-Hayward is magnetic as Frank, pompous and camp, and somehow delivers expert physical comedy WHILE PLAYING THE CELLO that he’s wearing. Led by Musical Director Victoria Falconer on violin, the ensemble are incredibly refined, delivering this genre bending and soundscape filled, spirited work with barley a musical score in sight to read from. The skills required to be a part of this ensemble are out of this world, and there isn’t a weak link to be seen.
Is MY BRILLIANT CAREER Worth Seeing in SYDNEY?
My Brilliant Career is undoubtedly a resounding success. This is a testament to what investing in the Australian arts scene can achieve. Australia has no shortage of incredibly skilled and passionate creatives, and ten years on from Bryant and Frank penning the works first song, it’s touring the country with a slew of five-star reviews in its wake. This production belongs on the international stage, and I truly hope it gets the backing it deserves to shine long into the future and be performed on world stages for decades to come. It’s a true Aussie gem.
Tickets and Practical Info for MY BRILLIANT CAREER in CITY 🎟️
Presented by Melbourne Theatre Company and Sydney Theatre Company.
Playing at Roslyn Packer Theatre 21 March – 3 May 2026
Playing in Wollongong 8 May – 17 May 2026
Approx. duration 2 hrs 30 mins, including interval.
Content Mature themes, sexual references, theatrical haze and the use of strobe-like lighting effects.
Director Anne-Louise Sarks
Musical Director Victoria Falconer
Choreographer Amy Campbell
Set & Costume Designer Marg Horwell
Lighting Designer Matt Scott
Orchestrator/Vocal Arranger James Simpson
Sound Designer Joy Weng
Associate Director Miranda Middleton
Associate Set & Costume Designer Savanna Wegman
Music Direction Association Daniel Herten
Assistant Musical Director Drew Livingston
With
Cameron Bajraktarevic-Hayward
Melanie Bird
Lincoln Elliott
Victoria Falconer
Kala Gare
Raj Labade
Drew Livingston
Ana Mitsikas
Christina O’Neill
Jarrad Payne
Jack Green
Meg McKibbin
My Brilliant Career was developed by Monash University, Melbourne, as part of the Jeanne Pratt Artist in Residency program, City of Stonnington and Melbourne Theatre Company’s NEXT STAGE Writers’ Program.
