JULIA

Not now, not ever.

In 2012, Julia Gillard gave a speech that sent shockwaves around the world as our first female Prime Minister thundered across the Despatch Box: “I will not”.

Over a decade later, one of Australia’s most esteemed playwrights, Joanna Murray-Smith, tells the human story behind the extraordinary speech in a stirring and inspiring re-examination of that moment and a revelatory portrait of the woman who made it happen.

Directed by Helpmann Award-winner Sarah Goodes, Julia is a critical and box office triumph, dazzling audiences across the country with its profound, wry and intoxicating exploration of gender, privilege and power.

The phenomenal Justine Clarke delivers a “heroic performance” (The Sydney Morning Herald) that takes us through key moments in Prime Minister Gillard’s life — from her childhood through to her foray into and across the battlefield of Australian politics — culminating in an “electrifying” (The Guardian) verbatim performance of the ‘misogyny speech’.

As women around the world continue to fight against oppression, Julia is a provocative rallying cry that is not to be missed.

"Fast-paced and clever…a celebration of women in power and a stark look at what it takes to get there."

— The Australian

This play is a fictional imagining by the playwright, of true events in the life of Julia Gillard. It combines references to true events, extracts from published works, interviews, fictitious commentary and opinions which the Playwright and the Producers believe to be honestly held. Ms Gillard has not endorsed or read, nor had any artistic input into the production of, this play.

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