- Having trouble figuring out what to see at the Sydney Festival this year? You’re not alone…
- So we’ve assembled a list of what Sydney’s critics are saying you should see.
- A full list of the free, cheap and family-friendly festival options.
It’s tough deciding what to see at the Sydney Festival. So Sydney Travel Guide has reviewed the top critics’ selections and narrowed down all the winners.
From The Sun-Herald to The Australian, and Limelight, here’s the top headliners, family-friendly options and everything weird and wonderful in between. Grab the calendar, and start planning your festival highlights, starting this Thursday January 8th right up until the 25th.
Headliner events
Lacrima
This is the Australian premier of Caroline Guiela Nguyen’s global theatre event. Over three hours of theatrical genius, LACRIMA seams together what connects us all with a landmark production. The plot? The Princess of England is getting married. The drama? Across the globe, designers and artisans race against time to create a wedding gown fit for history. The conflict? Under a shroud of secrecy, a Parisian fashion house designs the gown; in Normandy, lacemakers of Alençon craft its delicate flourishes; in Mumbai, embroiderers weave shimmering motifs.
What the critics say:
Limelight says: “Through intertwining stories, LACRIMA reveals the hidden human cost stitched into every seam. Director and playwright Caroline Guiela Nguyen combines meticulous research, theatrical intimacy and cinematic scale in this ambitious production. Split-screen staging, shifting sets and close-up video capture conjure the feel of a live film, drawing audiences deep into the urgency and emotional stakes of the story. Performed in French, Tamil, English and sign language, with subtitles, LACRIMA weaves themes of globalisation, labour and beauty into a gripping and deeply human narrative.”
The Sun-Herald says: “This monumental show comes from Europe with critical acclaim. Clocking in at three hours with only a three-minute break, it will be a test of concentration (and bladders).”
The UK Guardian says: “Its a chokingly emotive story of overwork and enslavement.”
Where: Roslyn Packer Theatre
When: January 22-25
Cost: Prices start from $81
Click here for more info
Nowhere
Actor and activist Khalid Abdalla (United 93, The Kite Runner, The Crown) performs a journey into his personal history, in and amongst the world events surrounding the Egyptian revolution of 2011 and the counter-revolution that followed. It addresses colonialism and decolonisation as well as social themes of friendship and grief. The events of 7th October 2023 are woven in, along with greater questions around how we got here, and for Abdalla, what ‘here’ actually is.
What the critics say:
Limelight says: “Inspired by his involvement in the Egyptian Revolution of 2011, actor and activist Khalid Abdalla (United 93, The Kite Runner, The Crown) brings together the personal and the political in an act of anti-biography that asks how we got here and how we find agency amidst the mazes of history.”
The Guardian UK says: :An audacious and radical message for peace.”
The Stage says: “Exquisitely beautiful, perfectly observed.”
Where: Roslyn Packer Theatre
When: January 13-17
Cost: Prices start from $71
Insider tip: Stick around for a post-show talk following the 8.00pm show on 16 January. It will last approximately 25 minutes.
Click here for more info
Mama Does Derby
Get your skates on folks!! Back by popular demand, this headline event by Windmill Productions is taking over the Sydney Town Hall for another year. In 2023 it was the Sun & Sea with a truckload of sand shipped into the federation building. This year, the Town Hall will be transformed into a roller derby track, for the world premier that has a deeper message to deliver, that of the relationship between a single mother and her teenage daughter.
What the critics say:
Sydney Morning Herald says: “Windmill has built a reputation for artistically adventurous and emotionally complex shows.”
Aussie Theatre says: “One of the smartest companies in the Australian theatre scene.”
Limelight says: “Action-packed, hilarious and heartfelt, Mama Does Derby is about resilience and reinvention, about getting knocked down and getting back up again.”
Where: Sydney Town Hall
When: January 15-22
Cost: Prices start from $44
Insider tip: Stick around for a post-show talk following the 6.30pm show on 18 January. The post-show talk will be hosted by Steph Harmon (Cultural Editor at the Guardian) and will last approximately 45 minutes.
Click here for more
Free Sydney Festival Events
Sydney Symphony Under the Stars
Sydney’s favourite Symphony Orchestra is back for another year of free, family-friendly entertainment under the stars. Head to Tmbalong Park in Darling Harbour for a relaxed evening of classical favourites as well as a moving First Nations orchestral work, followed by a journey through the 50 years of Sydney Festival moments. It’s a special anniversary concert under Sydney’s summer skyline not to be missed.
The program is yet to be unveiled.
What the critics say:
A special birthday edition of our beloved musical tradition
Sun-Herald says: “Back, somewhat controversially, in Sydney after it’s stint in Parramatta, Sydney Symphony Orchestra will bring the night air of Darling Harbour alive with this free concert. The program is yet to be unveiled but you can be sure there will be plenty of classical musical favourites to hum along to.”
Where: Tumbalong Park, Darling Harbour
When: January 17, 6:30pm
Cost: A free event, no registration needed.
Insider tip: Bring a picnic rug and an esky and get there early to bag a good spot.
Click here for more info
Live on Hickson Road
Lights! Camera! Action! or is it? This is the making of a ‘film’ where you get to be in the making. There are DJ’s and dancers and fireworks… but it’s not necessarily a real film. The idea is though that you get to feature in the making of the film and then, at the end, you get to watch the finished product, including you! It’s a budding star’s wildest dream!
Questions arise around what’s real, what’s pretend, and what’s simply a celebration of the making of a film. Either way, it’ll keep you guessing the whole way through and you can’t help but get caught up in the energy and movement as the evening progresses.
Created by Argentinian filmmaker Alejo Moguillansky and choreographer Luciana Acuña, Efectos Especiales transforms the street into a live film set where cinema and dance unfold in real time. A camera mounted on a dolly tracks a performer across 300 metres in an unbroken shot – a body pushed to endure, moving forward against forces that refuse to let up.
The audience moves too. A DJ turns a van into a travelling party. At times you’ll run to keep up, then stop to watch the action projected live onto giant screens. Scenes are replayed, reshot, reimagined. Sometimes you’re a witness. Sometimes an extra. Sometimes you’re asked to move, to dance beneath an artificial storm, or to crawl through falling snow as the fiction keeps rolling.
Event schedule:
4pm – Live on Hickson Roadopens with DJ set by Federico Puentes
5pm – Efectos Especiales performance one
6pm – Federico PuentesDJ set
7pm – Efectos Especiales performance two
8pm – The Kick On kicks off
What the critics say:
The Theatre Times says: “The joy of this production lies in adrenaline rush as the audience pursue the dancer, in the fun of seeing the urban streets presented in a different light, in the game that we are invited to be part of, in the pleasure of dancing along to Depeche Mode, The Clash and The Weather Girls.”
The Theatre Times says: “Gloriously inventive”
The Sun-Herald says: “When Festival Director Kris Nelson described this event, I admit, I didn’t quite get it. I still don’t. However I do think it sounds like a lot of fun. There’s a movie being filmed, with DJ’s and dancers and fireworks, and it might be real – or not. And you get to take part. And afterwards you get the watch the movie and have a big party. What’s not to like?”
Where: Hickson Road, Walsh Bay
When: January 10, 5pm and 7pm
Cost: Free event. No tickets. No fourth wall. Just you, the city, and a camera capturing it all.
Insider tip: Stick around after the event as the evening evolves into a street sesh with DJ sets, dancing and peak-summer energy. Check out Live on Hickson Road: The Kick On for more.
Click here for more info
Family-Friendly Events
Post Orientalist Express
Strap yourself in for a kaleidoscope of colour and rhythm, Korean high-energy dance and stage production to wow the tiniest eyes. It’s an Australian exclusive from rebellious Korean choreographer Eun-Me Ahn who aims to dismantle your expectations. Showcasing 90 of Ahn’s original costume designs, that are a reflection of loval traditions but break new bounds in the same leap.
What the critics say:
The Korea Herald says: “A one-of-a-kind force in Korean contemporary dance.”
Limelight says: “Joyfully subversive dance from the enfant terrible of Seoul.”
Dance Art Journal for Dragons says: “Crescendo in pure form… a unique experience which I feel earned its roaring standing ovation.”
Where: Roslyn Packer Theatre
When: January 8-10
Cost: Prices start from $72
Click here for more info
The Bogong’s Song: A call to Country
The production from Bangarra Dance Company tells the tale of a brother and sister turning out the lights for the night. They are swept into a world of imagination – a portal to their Dreaming. Seeking an elusive Bogong Moth, they journey into an extraordinary world where Country shares its secrets. In this place, the past speaks through stars, trees and grass. Healing begins in the silence between breaths.
The Bogong’s Song is a rich blend of storytelling, shadow puppetry, dance and song created especially for children and their families. As the children open their hearts to the stories of their ancestors, all are invited to experience connection to Country and discover that even the smallest creatures have a vital role to play. This brand new work from Yolande Brown and Chenoa Deemal follows Bangarra’s award-winning Waru–journey of the small turtle, which enthralled more than 25,000 children.
What the critics say:
Limelight says: “Even the smallest creatures have a vital role to play.”
Dance Australia says: “An immersive, luminous work that draws young audiences gently into the Dreaming, a world of wonder, wisdom and laughter.”
The Sun-Herald says: Through stories of the iconic Bogong Moth, the audience is invited to explore issues around Country and the interconnection of all living beings.”
The Sydney Morning Herald says: “…its power is immediately palpable.”
The Scoop says: “With a mix of stunning shadow puppetry, dance, singing and beautiful visual displays, there is never a dull moment.”
Where: The Pavilion Performing Arts Centre Sutherland
When: January 20th
Cost: Prices start from $30
Insider tip: See more of The Bogong’s Song amazing performance at The Pavilion Performing Arts Centre Sutherland.
Click here for more info
Blak Out
“The Blak Out program reminds us that we gather because we must – it’s who we are. When we gather, we remember our strength.”
– Jake Nash, Sydney Festival Artist in Residence and Blak Out program Co-Curator
Held
Smoke that brings healing.
Song that carries story.
Design that holds Country and brings all together.
This is the World Premier of Held and is a series of sculptural works designed by Yuwaalaraay Wirringgaa and Designer Lucy Simpson. Four forms designed to honour land, sky and sea Country from across each of the four pillars. This work comes to life with the addition of wind and water, amplified through the voices of many.
Held will bring the festival to a close on the eve of January 26, with a sunset events of smoke and and song.
What the critics say:
Lucy Simpson says: ““Through my work I create and tell stories in ways that can often transcend words and language, flowing from deep within my bones.”
Dance Australia says: “An immersive, luminous work that draws young audiences gently into the Dreaming, a world of wonder, wisdom and laughter.”
The Sun-Herald says: Through stories of the iconic Bogong Moth, the audience is invited to explore issues around Country and the interconnection of all living beings.”
The Sydney Morning Herald says: “…its power is immediately palpable.”
The Scoop says: “With a mix of stunning shadow puppetry, dance, singing and beautiful visual displays, there is never a dull moment.”
Where: Barangaroo Reserve
When: January 8-25th
Cost: Free event
Click here for more info
Kankawa Nagarra
Meet this 82-year old singer-songwriter with four albums and decades of cultural work behind her is described as the ‘Queen of the Bandaral Ngadu Delta’. Walmatjarri, Gooniyandi and Bunuba Elder Kankawa Nagarra is member of the Stolen Generations and has overcome great adversity, becoming one of Australia’s most powerful blues and gospel voices. The 82 year old is also said to be “just getting started.”
In 2024, Nagarra won the prestigious Australian Music Prize for her luminous album Wirlmarni, which was recorded on Country. Singing in both Kriol and English, her music blends Aboriginal blues, country and gospel with raw, soulful storytelling.
What the critics say:
ABC says: “Blends blues, country, gospel and Walmatjarri songlines.”
Rolling Stone says: “A special blend of Aboriginal Australian blues, country and gospel styles, coupled with personal storytelling.”
Future Mag Music says: “Nagarra’s heartfelt album captivates listeners with its blend of First Nations blues, country and gospel, infused with her story and deep empathy for the struggles of others.”
Guitar World says: “The album has been thousands of years in the making.”
Where: Pier 2/3, Suite 3, 13A Hickson Rd Walsh Bay Arts Precinct Dawes Point
When: January 8th, 6:30pm no interval
Cost: $49
Click here for more info
