WHAT'S ON

As Heartstopper reaches its final chapter, it’s clear this isn’t just another coming-of-age story. In a media landscape where queer representation remains limited, the series has offered something rare and powerful: joy, softness and the possibility of being seen. For many fans, its impact goes far beyond the screen.

Monsters have always been the perfect excuse to talk about what women really want, especially queer women. For more than a century, women have turned to literature to explore the desires society told them to suppress.

Step behind the curtain with the Strangeways Ensemble — a creative force of neurodiverse artists whose cabaret dives deep into love in all its wild, awkward, and joyful forms. From grungy ballads to tales of online dating and vampires, discover how this close-knit troupe finds family on and off the stage.

Off the Ledge is bringing kerosene to the Canberra Theatre Centre, a sharply written new Australian play that dives into love, unfiltered emotions and female power. We spoke with director and producer Lachlan Houen and actor Winsome Ogilvie, who plays Millie, about what drew them to the production, why this story matters now and what you can expect from a night of fiercely honest theatre.

Kirsty Webeck is currently touring the country with her new show Lost for Words, bringing her trademark ‘comedy without the sad bits’ to stages across Australia. “I want to make people feel better and give them a nice escape for an hour.”

Emmanuelle Mattana’s Trophy Boys turns the hyper-competitive world of elite school debating into a sharp, satirical lens on masculinity, power, and influence.

Bell Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar is a gripping, blood-soaked political drama that feels both timeless and sharply current. With standout performances, striking design and a thoughtful gender-swapped Brutus whose relationship with her wife adds a queer layer to the story, this production brings fresh emotional depth to Shakespeare’s tale of power, loyalty and betrayal. ★★★★☆

Scott Morrison may have left the building, but Canberra-based writer Tom Glassey isn't quite ready to let him go. In fact, he's written a whole play about it.

What if Juliet’s story didn’t end in tragedy? In a Canberra first, Free-Rain Theatre Company brings the international hit musical & Juliet to The Q in 2026, reimagining Shakespeare’s most famous love story with a bold new twist.