Housewarming, at Ian Potter State Theatre, Victorian Arts Centre

What a grand way to reintroduce the magnificent, newly renovated Ian Potter State Theatre to those who appreciate theatrical excellence.

In short, hold a housewarming, with a cavalcade of top shelf entertainment to be savoured FOR FREE.

Photos by Mark Gambino

That was the offering from Friday, 9^th October through to Sunday, 11^th October 2026 in seven, hour-long performances.

All were centred around the lyrebird, the outspread tail of which is the centrepiece of the iconic stage curtain at the State Theatre.

The hand painted, shimmering gold bird with Victorian native wildflowers, the State Coat of Arms, and vertical ribbons on red unholstered velvet dates back to 1984.

John Truscott commissioned Graham Bennett to design the curtain for the princely sum of $90,000 (donated as a gift by the then State Bank of Victoria).

In this show, the lyrebird took on a human form and was given the name Golden or Goldie.

Played by Brett Chynoweth, Principal Artist at The Australian Ballet, Goldie was in a tug of war to assume his rightful place on the curtain.

Assistant Stage Manager Rachel (Jude Perl) was the voice of good, while Agitha (Nicci Wilks) was that of evil.

Agitha and her henchmen (members of Circus Oz) were looking to steal Goldie.

He was but an outstretched arm away, but managed to escape their clutches, while witnessing many artistic wonders and inner-city Melbourne settings.

So it is that he (and we, the audience) were treated to appetising vignettes from the The Australian Ballet, Opera Australia, Stephanie Lake Company and

Melbourne Theatre Company (specifically Kala Gare) on Friday and Saturday.

On Sunday, it was the turn of The Australian Ballet School, Eliza Hull, Bell Shakespeare Company and The Listies.

All seven performances featured Chynoweth, Perl, Wilks and Circus Oz, alongside The Yarra Voices, Cypher Culture x Jungle City, Emma Donovan, Stately Machines, Roya The Destroya, Victorian College of the Arts’ Music Theatre students and the house band.

The non-stop entertainment incorporated the artistic, the theatrical, the musical and operatic, and the balletic, acrobatic and athletic, behind which lay a comedic bed.

In fact, the humour began even before we entered the theatre, when mime artists mingled with patrons in the lobby before making their way onto the stage.

Then, ahead of Assistant Stage Manager Rachel appearing, the mimics warmup routine put us in the right frame of mind for the high jinks that followed.

Indeed, Housewarming was something special.

Together with flights of fancy were moments of beauty and wonder. It was a cabaret of drama and pathos. One of the many high points was a haunting rendition of Archie Roach’s One Song.

Perl was a polished and natural emcee and songstress, with Wilks a suitably snippy provocateur.

What also stood out for all the right reasons was the superb sound and acoustics, along with the diversity of lighting choices. The production design was outstanding.

This was a housewarming to remember – one that will long live on in my memory.