The Popular Mechanicals
State Theatre Company South Australia presents
The Popular Mechanicals

6 Apr 2017 to 13 May 2017

Presented by State Theatre Company
By Keith Robinson, William Shakespeare and Tony Taylor. From the original direction by Geoffrey Rush


A funny thing happened to me on the way to the theatre this evening
 

Shakespeare’s greatest clowns—the rude mechanicals from A Midsummer Night’s Dream— take centre-stage in this wild reimagining of what might have happened off-stage during the Bard’s most loved comedy. Perhaps the most famous group of amateur thespians of all time, the cast of the play-within-a-play Pyramus and Thisbe, bumble their way through rehearsals, misadventures and sheer idiocy in an hysterically funny mix of verse, song and dance.

Using snippets of the existing text of A Midsummer Night’s Dream along with a gloriously cod version of Shakespearean English, the play exalts in its own roughness, extravagance of expression and frequent obscenity—in the nicest possible way.

Clowning, vaudeville, slapstick, farce, stand-up comedy and bad puppetry come together with both witty badinage and fart jokes to create an anarchic and thrillingly unhinged carnival that revels in its own theatricality.

First directed by Geoffrey Rush in 1987, The Popular Mechanicals holds a special place in the Australian comedic canon and is ripe for revival with a cast of our best theatrical clowns, led by the inimitable Amber McMahon and directed by former Sydney Theatre Company Resident Director Sarah Giles. A perfect end-of year romp that promises to lift the roof in the silliest ways imaginable.

Share This Event:   
Venue
Wharf 2 Theatre (Sydney Theatre Company)
Session TimesTicket PricesDuration
2 hours
Tour Dates and LocationsMedia
You may also like... The Lady Vanishes The Lady Vanishes
20 Jun 2025 to 26 Jul 2025 Session Times
Fridays and Saturdays 7.30pm
Sundays 4.30pm
$30-$35
Play
The TwitsThe Twits
5 Jul 2025 to 19 Jul 2025 Session Times
Saturday 5 July 202511:30am, 2pm, 6pm
Sunday 6 July 202511am, 1:30pm
Tuesday 8 July 202510:30am*, 1pm
Wednesday 9 July 202510:30am, 1pm
Thursday 10 July 202510:30am, 1pm
Friday 11 July 202510:30am, 1pm
Saturday 12 July 202511:30am, 2pm, 6pm
Sunday 13 July 202511am, 1:30pm
Tuesday 15 July 202510:30am, 1pm
Wednesday 16 July 202510:30am, 1pm
Thursday 17 July 202510:30am, 1pm
Friday 18 July 202510:30am, 1pm, 6pm
Saturday 19 July 202511:30am, 2pm
Standard tickets from $39.95
Play
BullyBullyBullyBully
6 Jul 2025 to 12 Jul 2025 Session Times
Sunday 6 July 202510am, 12pm
Monday 7 July 202510am, 12pm
Tuesday 8 July 202510am, 12pm
Thursday 10 July 202510am, 12pm
Friday 11 July 202510am, 12pm
Saturday 12 July 202510am, 12pm
Standard tickets from $35
Play
Mr Red LightMr Red Light
9 Jul 2025 to 12 Jul 2025 Session Times
Wed- Fri 8:00pm
Sat 2:30pm & 8:00pm
$32.50-$45
Play
Betrayal by Harold PinterBetrayal by Harold Pinter
18 Jul 2025 to 10 Aug 2025 Session Times
FRI, 18 JUL 7:00pM
SAT, 19 JUL 2:00pM & 7:00pM
SUN, 20 JUL 5:00pM
TUE, 22 JUL 7:00pM
WED, 23 JUL 7:00pM
THU, 24 JUL 7:00pM
FRI, 25 JUL 7:00pM
SAT, 26 JUL 2:00PM & 7:00pM
SUN, 27 JUl 5:00pM
TUE, 29 JUL 7:00pM
WED, 30 JUL 7:00pM
THU, 31 JUL 7:00pM
FRI, 1 AUG 7:00pM
SAT, 2 AUG 2:00PM & 7:00pM
SUN, 3 AUG 5:00pM
TUE, 5 AUG 7:00pM
WED, 6 AUG 7:00pM
THU, 7 AUG 7:00pM
FRI, 8 AUg 7:00pM
SAT, 9 AUG 2:00pM & 7:00pM
SUN, 10 AUG 5:00pM
$29.70 - $60.50
Play