One of the greatest films of all time is coming to the Melbourne stage

It’s widely considered one of the greatest films of all time, and in 2026, the Malthouse Theatre will be staging a theatrical adaptation of All About Eve as part of its newly released program. Based on the 1950 film starring Bette Davis, the story traces the shifting tension between Margo Channing, an ageing Broadway star, and ingenue Eve Harrington. Dean Bryant, the acclaimed writer and director who has just taken on the mantle of co-CEO and artistic director, following the departure of Matthew Lutton, will direct the production’s Australian premiere, starring Christie Whelan Browne in dual roles as both Margo and Eve. “All About Eve is a story I’ve been obsessed with putting on stage for years,” says Bryant. “It’s wicked, hilarious, full of juicy roles for actors, and is the uber-story about the relentless nature of ambition. Not to mention it has some of the sharpest dialogue ever written. “To direct my first production as artistic director of Malthouse with this fierce, stylish and unsettling work feels both terrifying and exhilarating. Christie Whelan Browne and I have made ambitious theatre pieces together, but this one really raises the bar. Having her take on the iconic roles of Margo and Eve, often playing scenes with herself, will be a theatrical event unlike anything we’ve seen.”