1 month ago
6
It’s widely considered one of the greatest films of all time, and in 2026, the Malthouse Theatre will be staging a theatrical adaptation of All About Eve as part of its newly released program.
Based on the 1950 film starring Bette Davis, the story traces the shifting tension between Margo Channing, an ageing Broadway star, and ingenue Eve Harrington. Dean Bryant, the acclaimed writer and director who has just taken on the mantle of co-CEO and artistic director, following the departure of Matthew Lutton, will direct the production’s Australian premiere, starring Christie Whelan Browne in dual roles as both Margo and Eve.
Dean Bryant, co-chief executive and artistic director of the Malthouse Theatre.Credit: Joe Armao
“All About Eve is a story I’ve been obsessed with putting on stage for years,” says Bryant. “It’s wicked, hilarious, full of juicy roles for actors, and is the uber-story about the relentless nature of ambition. Not to mention it has some of the sharpest dialogue ever written.
“To direct my first production as artistic director of Malthouse with this fierce, stylish and unsettling work feels both terrifying and exhilarating. Christie Whelan Browne and I have made ambitious theatre pieces together, but this one really raises the bar. Having her take on the iconic roles of Margo and Eve, often playing scenes with herself, will be a theatrical event unlike anything we’ve seen.”
Bryant describes the Malthouse as “a bold, irreverent company” that produces “risky, challenging work”, telling stories that need to be told.
He is speaking from Perth, where he is working on Eddie Perfect’s new musical Tivoli Lovely – to be staged by students at the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), where Bryant studied in the ’90s. After growing up in Strathmerton, he began a law degree at the University of Melbourne but quit after three years to follow his passion for the arts in the west.
Christie Whelan Browne will star in All About Eve.Credit: Nicole Reed
In 2024, Bryant directed the Australian run of Dear Evan Hansen and this year received the Green Room award for outstanding director for his production of Victorian Opera’s Candide, as well as the award for outstanding writing for the book and lyrics of Melbourne Theatre Company’s musical My Brilliant Career with composer (and partner in life) Mathew Frank.
Bryant will work closely with Vivia Hickman, executive producer and co-CEO, who devised the 2026 program. Hickman says the program is “a testament to the extraordinary ambition, creativity, and diversity of artists working today”.
The 2026 season includes six new Australian works, five world premieres and three Malthouse commissions. Highlights include the world premiere of Break of Day by Steve Rodgers, directed by Sarah Goodes and starring Kat Stewart; the world premiere of Stephanie Lake’s latest contemporary dance work, Vista, and Black Light by Jada Alberts, starring the Meriam/Yidindji/Dutch Maza sisters, Lisa and Rachael (who Bryant describes as “theatre royalty”) together on stage alongside Tahlee Fereday.
“I’m under no illusions that theatre can change the world,” Bryant says. “But it can create a thrilling space for a group of humans to share for a time, and that’s a form of attention that can stay with you forever.”
The Booklist is a weekly newsletter for book lovers from Jason Steger. Get it delivered every Friday.
Most Viewed in Culture
Loading
