I attended three musical events at this year's Brisbane Festival and they couldn't have been more different - La Boheme, Opera Queensland, Your Eternal Memories, Camerata and The Lovers, Shake and Stir Theatre.

The Lovers, Shake and Stir Theatre, at Brisbane Festival 2025

Would Shakespeare turn over in his grave if he experienced Shake and Stir Theatre's latest production The Lovers inspired by his popular masterpiece Midsummer Night's Dream? Probably not because the bard's universal plotlines and themes are robust and can withstand reframing or as this company, now celebrating its twentieth anniversary, describes the process; reclaiming, re-mixing and re-releasing. 

There's not much of a plot. Shakespeare's storied complexity has been stripped back and set in a current day setting of dating apps, online obsession, ghosting, gay culture, a hint of bondage and cage dancing while exploring clubbing aesthetics in general. I loved the high-octane energy, the imaginative lighting and video effects mimicking clubs and clubbing culture. A clip of roiling clouds in a broody sky was a visual treat.

Just as in Shakespeare's day, the audience joined in jeering at Demetrius' abuse of Helena, yelling encouragement and guffawing at the jokes and the crowd became a dynamic element in this brash, exhilarating show. 

Read more here about The Lovers at Brisbane Festival 2025.