Julia
by Joanna Murray-Smith
Directed by Sarah Goodes
World Premiere
Ten years on from Julia Gillard’s speech that sent shockwaves around the world, Julia is an intimate and compelling insight into the person behind the public mask.
In the Drama Theatre | Sydney Theatre Company | Theatre
COVID-19 safety information
The health and wellbeing of everyone attending the Opera House is our top priority. We’re committed to making your experience safe, comfortable and enjoyable, with a number of measures in place including regular cleaning of high-touch areas, air conditioning systems that maximise ventilation, and hand sanitiser stations positioned in all paths of travel. We encourage you to wear a mask in indoor settings or when physical distancing can’t be maintained, and please stay home if you feel unwell. If you need to discuss your ticketing or booking options, contact our Box Office team on 02 9250 7777.
Pre-sale and on-sale information
Pre-sale timings:
- Insider Member Priority, 9am Wednesday 7 December
General public on sale, 9am Thursday 8 December
Season runs between Friday 31 March and Saturday 13 May, 2023
Friday 31 March, 7.30pm *Preview
Saturday 1 April, 7.30pm *Preview
Monday 3 April, 7.30pm *Preview
Tuesday 4 April, 7.30pm *Opening Night
Wednesday 5 April, 7.30pm
Thursday 6 April, 7.30pm
Saturday 8 April, 1.30pm & 7.30pm
Monday 10 April, 6.30pm
Tuesday 11 April, 6.30pm
Wednesday 12 April, 1.00pm 7.30pm
Thursday 13 April, 7.30pm
Friday 14 April, 7.30pm
Saturday 15 April, 1.30pm & 7.30pm
Monday 17 April, 6.30pm
Tuesday 18 April, 6.30pm
Wednesday 19 April, 1.00pm & 7.30pm
Thursday 20 April, 7.30pm
Friday 21 April, 7.30pm
Saturday 22 April, 1.30pm & 7.30pm
Monday 24 April, 6.30pm *Night With The Artists - Post-show Q&A
Tuesday 25 April, 6.30pm
Wednesday 26 April, 7.30pm
Thursday 27 April, 7.30pm
Friday 28 April, 7.30pm
Saturday 29 April, 1.30pm & 7.30pm
Monday 1 May, 6.30pm
Tuesday 2 May, 6.30pm
Wednesday 3 May, 7.30pm
Thursday 4 May, 7.30pm
Friday 5 May, 7.30pm
Saturday 6 May, 1.30pm *Audio Described Matinee
Saturday 6 May, 7.30pm
Monday 8 May, 6.30pm
Tuesday 9 May, 6.30pm *Captioned Performance
Wednesday 10 May, 7.30pm
Thursday 11 May, 7.30pm *AUSLAN Interpreted Performance
Friday 12 May, 7.30pm
Saturday 13 May, 1.30pm *Captioned Matinee
Saturday 13 May, 7.30pm
Standard tickets from $104.00 | $8.50 Booking Fee applies per transaction [$8.95 from 28 March 2023]
Previews:
Ticket |
Description & price |
Standard |
All Tickets |
A Reserve |
$57 |
Friday to Saturday performances (excluding Previews):
Ticket |
Description & price |
Standard |
All Tickets |
A Reserve |
$109 |
Monday to Thursday performances (excluding Previews):
Ticket |
Description & price |
Standard |
|
A Reserve |
$104 |
Seniors |
Senior card holders (Aust. only) |
A Reserve |
$99 |
Pensioner |
Pension card holders (Aust. only) |
A Reserve |
$78 |
Students |
Student card holders (Aust. only) |
A Reserve |
$78 |
Under 30 |
Under 30 at the time of the performance. ID required |
A Reserve |
$57 |
Groups 10+ |
Please call +61 2 9250 7700 for more information |
A Reserve |
$94 |
Prices correct at the time of publication and subject to change without notice. Exact prices will be displayed with seat selection. Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times. Children aged 0-23 months at the time of a performance may be seated on a parent’s lap free of charge. All children occupying a seat or aged 2 year/s of age or older must hold a valid ticket.
The authorised agencies for this event are Sydney Opera House and Sydney Theatre Company. For more information about Authorised Agencies, see the FAQ below.
This show runs for approximately 90 minutes, with no interval
Event duration is a guide only and may be subject to change.
In English | Wheelchair accessible and audio loop available | Captioned, Auslan Interpreted and Audio Described Performances available
Captioned performances - Tuesday 9 May, 6:30pm & Saturday 13 May, 1:30pm
Captions are text descriptions that display the session's dialogue, identify speakers, and describe other relevant sounds that are otherwise inaccessible to people who are deaf or have hearing loss. Captions will be displayed on a screen or available via your personal device (phone). To be seated in the area with best view of the screens book online using the caption price type, call the Sydney Theatre Company on 02 9250 1777 or email boxoffice@sydneytheatre.com.au. Alternatively, to access the captions on your personal device (phone), scan the QR Code on the sign displayed at the entry to the venue.
Auslan Interpreted performance - Thursday 11 May, 7:30pm
Experienced Auslan theatre interpreters stand to the side of the stage and translate what the actors are saying or singing into Auslan. A block of seats is reserved for users of this service to ensure a good view of the interpreter and the stage. Book by calling Sydney Theatre Company on 02 9250 1777 or email boxoffice@sydneytheatre.com.au. .
Audio Described performance - Saturday 6 May, 1:30pm
An audio description service to enhance the experience of customers who are blind or have low vision is offered for selected performances at the Sydney Opera House. This is a live commentary of the visual elements of a performance, by trained audio describers. Audio description is relayed via a free headset and receiver linked to the FM radio system. For select Audio described performances tactile tours will be available. Tactile tours allow patrons who are blind or have low vision to have a hands-on experience. Patrons are given access to costumes, props and stage set in order to capture the atmosphere of the work. Tactile tours occur before the performance. To book the service and confirm if your chosen performance has a tactile tour available, call Sydney Theatre Company on 02 9250 1777 or email boxoffice@sydneytheatre.com.au.
Not now, not ever
In 2012 Julia Gillard, Australia’s first female prime minister, gave a speech that sent shockwaves around the world.
Now, ten years later, one of Australia’s most esteemed and celebrated playwrights, Joanna Murray-Smith, brings the human story behind that speech to the stage.
Julia is an extraordinary new play that will see the glorious Justine Clarke (Children of the Sun) embody the life and career that led to the ‘misogyny speech’, in a phenomenal performance directed by Helpmann Award-winning Sarah Goodes (The Children).
This is both an intimate and compelling insight into the person behind the public mask, and a reflection on the experience of women in contemporary politics. Combining genuine excerpts from Gillard’s speech with Murray-Smith’s incredible dramatic imagination this play is also a thrilling coming together of history and art.
Around the world, we are seeing the most profound rollbacks to women’s rights legislation in two generations. At the same time, there have been encouraging strides forward in the representation of women in positions of power, both at home and abroad. In this climate, Julia is a rousing and energising reminder of where we’ve come from and an empowering imagining of the challenges yet to come.
Presented by Sydney Theatre Company and Canberra Theatre Centre
Venue Information
Performances are being sold to 100% capacity in line with the NSW Public Health Order. This includes all shows in the Concert Hall, Joan Sutherland Theatre, Studio, Playhouse, Drama Theatre, Utzon Room and Forecourt. Please note that you will be seated directly alongside other ticketholders.
Our foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars. Please remember to maintain physical distancing whilst consuming drinks in our foyers.
All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to all foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators). Pram parking will be available outside the theatres in the Western Foyer consistent with COVID-safe rules.
Transport options
- The Sydney Opera House Car Park, operated by Wilson Parking, is open and available to use. Wilson Parking offer discounted parking if you book ahead. Please see their website for details.
- Please check the Transport NSW website for the latest advice and information on travel and COVID-19 safety measures. You can catch public transport (bus, train, ferry) to Circular Quay and enjoy a six min walk to the Opera House.
What safety measures have you implemented?
Nothing is more important to us than the health and safety of everyone on site, and we are closely following NSW Health guidelines and advice. The Sydney Opera House is registered as a COVID Safe business with the NSW Government. For detailed information about our COVID-19 safety measures and what’s required of you when visiting, please see our plan your visit page.
What am I required to do as an audience member?
Face masks are strongly recommended for all patrons while inside our theatres and foyers, including during the performance. Please bring your own mask.
As you move around the Opera House, practise physical distancing (1.5 metres whenever possible) and follow the guidance provided by our staff and signage.
Within venues, always take your allocated seat.
For detailed information about our COVID-19 safety measures and what’s required of you, please see our plan your visit page.
Do I need to be vaccinated to visit the Sydney Opera House?
The Sydney Opera House no longer requires patrons to show that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Am I required to wear a mask?
Face masks are strongly recommended for all patrons while inside our theatres and foyers, including during the performance. Please bring your own mask.
How are you managing contact tracing?
Contact information is required when making a booking with us and upon arrival at the Opera House, as set out in our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Attendance at Events and our Customer Privacy Statement.
As the ticket purchaser, you are responsible for recording the contact details of your guests. Contact information will only be used for the purposes of contact tracing, if required, and will be deleted at least 28 days after your event.
What time do I need to arrive before the event?
Ticket purchases and collection at our Box Office is discouraged and eTicket or postal delivery methods should be used, wherever possible. However, if you are collecting your tickets from the Box Office, we recommend doing this at least 60 minutes before the event starts. If you have already received your tickets, the venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Please take your seats as soon as you arrive.
If you are late, we will seat you as soon as we can and, where possible, in your allocated seat. However, to reduce movement in the venue as well as minimise disruption to the performance and other patrons, ticketholders may be seated in an allocated latecomer’s seat. Please be aware that some events have lock-out periods. In these cases, latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance. On occasions, this may not be until the interval, or at all where there is no interval.
Details of our right to refuse admission can be found in our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Events.
Will there be bag checks, and is cloaking available?
In accordance with our venue security procedures, Opera House security will be scanning and checking bags under the Monumental Stairs, prior to entering the building. Bags will be scanned by an x-ray machine, and staff will wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling your belongings, such as gloves. Cloaking facilities will be open 60 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 60 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. However it is strongly encouraged that you travel lightly to minimise contact and queuing. Any bags larger than an A4 piece of paper will need to be checked into the Cloak Room.
What safety measures do you have in place?
The health and wellbeing of everyone attending the Opera House is our top priority. We have a number of safety measures in place including regular cleaning of high-touch areas, air conditioning systems that maximise ventilation, and hand sanitiser stations positioned in all paths of travel. We encourage visitors to wear a face mask in indoor settings or when physical distancing can’t be maintained. Please stay home if you feel unwell and read more about our flexible ticket options here.
Does my child need to wear a face mask?
Children under the age of 12 are not required to wear a face mask.
Who are the authorised ticket sellers for this event?
The authorised agency for this event is the Sydney Opera House.
Only tickets purchased by authorised agencies should be considered reliable. If you purchase tickets from a non-authorised agency such as Ticketmaster Resale, Viagogo, Ticketbis, eBay, Gumtree, Tickets Australia or any other unauthorised seller, you risk that these tickets are fake, void or have previously been cancelled. RESALE RESTRICTION APPLIES. For more details, please refer to our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Attendance at Events.
What if I can't come to my performance?
Please contact Box Office on 9250 7777 as soon as possible to advise if you can no longer attend. If you can no longer attend because you are unwell, or have been in contact with someone displaying COVID-19 symptoms, the Opera House has introduced flexible ticketing options to help you, find out more information here.
Will there be food and beverages available for purchase in the venue?
Foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars.
The venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances.
Please bring a credit or debit card for any on site purchases to enable contactless payment. You’re welcome to bring your own water bottle but no other food and drinks are permitted inside our venues. Opera Bar, Opera Kitchen and Portside are also available for you to enjoy.
Will there be pram parking at kids performances?
All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to the foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators). Pram parking will be available outside the theatres consistent with COVID-safe rules.
Can my baby sit on my lap?
Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times. Babies aged 0-2 years old at the time of a performance may be seated on an adult’s lap. Children 2 years and older will need to hold a standard ticket.
Can I smoke at the Opera House?
- The health, safety and wellbeing of everyone at the Sydney Opera House is our top priority. In line with this commitment, the Opera House will become a smoke-free site from Saturday 1 January 2022.
- By becoming a smoke-free site, the Opera House seeks to reduce exposure to harmful second-hand smoke, as well as minimise the impact of smoking on the environment, including litter and pollution of the surrounding marine environment.
You may also like...
The Sydney Opera House is the symbol of modern Australia. A World Heritage-listed masterpiece of “human creative genius,” it exists because a few brave people dared to think differently.
Celebrating 50 years of the Sydney Opera House, Inside/Out at the House invites you to join us under the sails or the stars for an extraordinary 7-day festival from 1-7 May.
Experience a rainbow explosion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait LGBTQIA+ artistry, across a two-hour concert.