Arts Centre Melbourne

We on the affirmative team contend that taking a high school debating tournament, making feminism the topic of discussion and turning it all into a play is a recipe for a fascinating night of theatre.  Trophy Boys is a queer black comedy and drag extravaganza, where a female and non-binary cast play high school boys participating in the aforementioned debating tournament. The topic? That feminism has failed women. Their side? The affirmative. The drama unfolds in real time, as the 70-minute play follows the debating team through their one-hour prep period for the all important grand finale of the Year 12 Interschool Debating Tournament. How will they annihilate their sister school while debating such a tricky topic? Writer Emmanuelle Mattana (who also plays Owen) and director Marni Mount first met at a national debating tournament in 2016, adding another layer to this already chuckle-inducing narrative. "In high school I was a competitive debater. I loved it and I hated it. At the time, it was one of the few places I was allowed to be – and often even celebrated for being – the argumentative, outspoken, hugely nerdy, young queer woman I was", says Mattanna. This will be the third year in a row that Trophy Boys will run in Melbourne, following sold-out seasons at La Mama in 2022 and fortyfivedownstairs in 2023. This time around, the dark drag extravaganza will play at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Fairfax Studio from July 16-21. The play will also tour to Geelong Arts Centre on June

Edit: A second Melbourne show has been added to Dolly Alderton's tour, after her first date completely sold out. She'll now be doing a show at the Palais Theatre on November 13 in addition to her booked out talk at the Arts Centre Melbourne on November 14. Tickets to her talk at the Palais Theatre are on sale now, you can buy them here – snap them up while you can! If you know a young woman who's an avid reader, chances are her eyes will light up at the mention of best-selling author Dolly Alderton. The British writer skyrocketed to popularity with her debut memoir-turned-TV show, Everything I Know About Love – a quasi-bible for those navigating life in the fraught 20s age demographic.  For the very first time, Alderton is headed Down Under for a tour of talks, off the back of her latest New York Times best-selling novel Good Material. She's heading to Arts Centre Melbourne for an appearance on November 14, and bringing along her latest stories for Melburnians to enjoy. Not only is she a beloved author, but Alderton originally gained recognition for her Sunday Times 'Dear Dolly' advice column – and she'll incorporate her favourite anecdotes from this within her live show, as well as her own insightful musings on various aspects of life. Audiences will have a chance to ask questions of their own, too, so get brainstorming.  Alderton will also make appearances in Sydney on November 5 and 6, Perth on November 10 and Brisbane on November 17 before heading to Wellington on Novembe