Regents Park Open Air Theatre is an entirely outdoor theatre venue in London that produces outdoor musical and theatre works that go on to tour the world.
Their 2024 hit production of Fiddler on the Roof is having its inaugural Australian Premiere at Theatre Royal Sydney at the end of this month. We talked to Lauren King, Director of Producing & Administration about bringing the production down under.
This production of Fiddler on the Roof premiered in Regents Park Open Air Theatre in 2024 and was designed for the outdoor stage. Performances were timed to perfection each night so that each night, the devastating lament “Sunrise, Sunset” was sung as darkness fell.
Bringing the raw, outdoors, fresh vibe into Sydney’s Theatre Royale, King discusses bringing the work to a new country. “Members of the original creative team will all be attending the Australian production at some point during the process and there’s a team of Australian directors as well, so it’s a really wonderful, collaborative vision”.
I was keen to hear how the audition process and rehearsal room has differed in Australia to the UK, with King telling me, “I wasn’t part of the audition team, but I spent a lot of time speaking to Jordan Fein the director who was very much leading the audition team and he was bowled over by the talent of the Australian company. I’ve been here [in Sydney] all week and feel the same. The music coming out of that room is extraordinary and they’re an extremely talented company.”
“I think the working methods feel very similar to how we put them together in the UK, and for us – we’re just so honoured and excited that the batter of the original production is now being taken up by this entirely new Australian company. We couldn’t ask for more there.”
The Australian cast will star Troy Sussman (Back to the Future, Aladdin) as Tevye , Alexis Fishman (Anne Being Frank) as Golde, beloved and decorated Australian icon Sigrid Thornton (Seachange, Peter Pan) will star in the role of Yente, and internationally acclaimed violinist Ben Adler will play The Fiddler.
The production will be touring after it’s Sydney season to Brisbane from 9 October 2026, Melbourne from 31 October – 27 December 2026 and Perth is scheduled for a run in early 2027.
Global Tours and sell-out productions
Previously working for the National Theatre, King has specialised in managing global transfers, including other UK to Australia transfers such as Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (internationally touring in 2017-18) and War Horse which toured the internationally from 2009-2016 and has returned to the National Theatre this year.
Regents Park Open Air Theatre is about to premiere a brand-new production of CATS. Unlike most of their touring productions CATS will begin a UK tour immediately after its Regents Park season. “This time it will be literally picking straight up. It’s being designed to be performed at the park and then codesigned to go straight out on tour around the UK. And, you know, we really hope that that has future life as well.”
The Open Air Theatre is a hive of activity that includes regular family-friendly programming that utilises a separate section of the venue as well as staging works that can be transplanted on top of an existing set. “We have a beautiful picnic lawn with a big tree in the middle, and presenting young children’s works, we often set out picnic blankets, and they’ll watch the show at the bottom of the tree.”
In 2024 The Enormous Crocodile performed concurrently alongside Twelfth Night on the parks’ main stage. The Shakespeare filled the evening slot, while the family show played the matinee slot with a production design utilising coloured fabric sheets and light weight props that would be layered directly over the evening set. They had a puppet and wardrobe team who focused entirely on puppet conservation during the set changeover as well as a full system preset on lighting between shows.
It’s a very unsteady time for the performing arts industry in Australia right now with many musical theatre productions closing early, and I was interested to hear about how the success of their productions in London – particularly after they’ve just had to extend the CATS season due to record-breaking ticket sales. King references the versatility of the space, saying “you come for an almost festival-like experience; there’s food, there’s drink, there’s beautiful fairy lights, and you’re there on a gorgeous summer evening – it’s a whole unique experience.”
Fiddler on the Roof, Australian Tour Schedule:
Sydney From 31 July – 3 October 2026 at Theatre Royal Sydney
Brisbane From 9 October – 25 October 2026 at Glasshouse Theatre, QPAC
Melbourne From 31 October – 27 December 2026 at Her Majesty’s Theatre
Perth Venue and dates to be announced.
