
Sydney Festival 2027 To Feature Australian Genderqueer Comic Hannah Gadsby
Sydney Festival has released its titillating 2027 program, including a massive free late-night dance party at Barangaroo’s The Cutaway, an array of cars converted into hot tubs and plunge pools, and a new show from queer comedy legend Hannah Gadsby.
As part of the festival, Gadsby — an Emmy, Peabody, and three-time AACTA Award winner, is returning to Sydney to open a new show at the Roslyn Packer Theatre. The show will explore the idea of the so-called ‘personal foundation myth’, examining how the defining moments in life rarely announce themselves, but instead only come into focus with hindsight.
“Bringing their quick wit and gift for an unexpected perspective, Gadsby finds comedy in the distance between living through something and finally understanding it,” wrote a spokesperson for the Sydney Festival.
Other Top Acts Slated For Sydney Festival 2027
From 7 to 25 January, the festival will also bring the world’s top dancemakers, major First Nations premiers, and a new harbourside playground to the Sydney.
From LBIJERRI Theatre Company’s world premiere of THE LINE, to Sydney hip hop icons ONEFOUR performing with the Penrith Chamber Orchestra, the festival will leave Sydneysiders no shortage of summer entertainment options.
As for those tight on cash, there will be 10,000 tickets available for $49 or less across every event in the ticketed program, meaning some of the best seats in the house will be accessible for under $50.
“We want everyone to feel that this Festival belongs to them, and that means making great seats part of the offer,” said Sydney Festival Director Kris Nelson. “With terrific seats available for $49 or under at every performance of every ticketed show, we’re giving audiences more freedom to take a chance on an unfamiliar artist, try a different artform or bring a friend.”
“A Festival To Cross Town For”
Nelson went on to highlight this year’s programming spanning from Penrith to Bondi to Barangaroo, which, according to the director, constitutes “a festival to cross town for”.
“We’ve set out to make a Festival that feels unmistakably of Sydney and open to the world,” said Nelson. “We have major new First Nations shows, collaborations born in Western Sydney, and an international dance and theatre program on a scale the city deserves. It means turning The Cutaway into a house of dance and bringing an outdoor Festival hub back to Barangaroo.
“It’s a festival that transforms ordinary city locations into places for fun and joy. It’s a festival full of artists with complex stories and engaging wits and it’s a chance to encounter some of the world’s most incredible dances – a true feast for the eye and the soul. It’s a summer festival calling out to you to feel invigorated and alive in your city – how will you answer?”
Meanwhile, according to Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully, the festival marks a big win for Sydney’s tourism industry, and the state’s international reputation as a cultural hub.
“As one of Australia’s premier cultural events, Sydney Festival attracts visitors, supports local jobs and businesses and reinforces NSW’s reputation as a global destination for arts, culture and entertainment,” Scully said.
To view the full Sydney Festival program and purchase tickets, visit their official website here.
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