About this Event
“Let’s make sure we're travelling so fast that the heat we generate when we re‑enter the sky will burn us up and paint the night with light.”
Nominated for four Sydney Theatre Awards including a win for Best Performance of a Leading Role in an Independent Production (Fraser Morrison), this sold out, five star “tour de force” (Stage Noise) makes its way to Naarm!
Backlit by the clubs of London’s Soho, Michael Spencer faces the music of his last night on Earth. Diagnosed with HIV in 1984, he's told by doctors that he has just four years to live. Determined, he decides his doomsday will be his biggest party yet. Sweat mixes with tears, and final dances turn into farewells. There’s a midnight countdown to his death but Michael … survives. With the gift of life, how can he go on living?
Cruise is an intergenerational monologue spanning four decades and over 20 characters, celebrating queer nightlife and paying tribute to a generation lost to the AIDS crisis.
The original season of Cruise was staged in 2025 at KXT on Broadway in association with bAKEHOUSE Theatre Co. The remounted production is presented in partnership with the Seymour Centre.
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★★★★★ "A triumph of beautifully nuanced observations and compassionate storytelling" - Chad Armstrong, Cultural Binge
★★★★★ "It cries out to be seen more than once" - Diana Simmonds, Stage Noise
★★★★★ "Astonishing, captivating and transformative. This sold out season of Cruise deserved all the praise it received" - Justin Clarke, Theatre Thoughts
★★★★★ "Extraordinary" - Sophie Highmore, Spot On Sydney
★★★★.5 “Fabulously and irresistably entertaining" - Suzy Wrong, Suzy Goes See
★★★★.5 “This is a play full of joy" - Christine de Matos, ArtsHub
★★★★.5 “A masterclass in transformation" - Victoria Luxton, Stage Door Reviews
★★★★ “You won’t see a more agile 90 minutes of solo acting this year – or an indie production more deserving of a return season" - Jason Blake, Limelight
Event venue & nearby stays
Theatre Works, Saint Leonards Avenue, St Kilda, Australia
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.