At a glance…
- Australian film The Castle quickly became a cult classic following its release in 1997.
- Starring Eric Bana and Michael Caton, it was created on a shoestring budget and is now required viewing for Australians.
- The film is now being adapted for the stage.
- It will premiere in March 2027 at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne.
Thirty years after The Castle first came to our screens, the beloved classic is being reimagined for the stage.
The plot of the frequently referenced film classic followed the Kerrigan family, led by patriarch Darryl (portrayed by Michael Caton), as they try to protect their beloved home in Coolaroo from developers who want to topple it to expand an airport next door.
Set in and filmed in Melbourne, it’s very fitting that the stage version will premiere at Her Majesty’s Theatre.
The stage version of The Castle is written and produced by the same team who created the original film: Rob Sitch, Tom Gleisner, Santo Cilauro and Jane Kennedy. Apparently, the film took just five weeks to create from inception to final cut, but the stage version has taken decades to come to fruition.
“We wrote this new, fully updated show in the same way that we wrote the film screenplay all those years ago — the four of us in a room trying to make each other laugh.”
According to the ABC, the stage version won’t be a reboot or retelling of the original plot. Instead, it will be “a celebration of the Kerrigan family that includes a quarter of a century’s worth of funny updates.”
There’s no word on the cast just yet, but it’s not completely outside the realm of possibility that the original cast could return. Should we expect a more mature Eric Bana as amateur kickboxer and accountant Con Petropaulous? Will his character still be married to Tracey Petropoulous (portrayed by Sophie Lee in the original)? Could they have had children in the interim years?
Will Michael Caton step back into the role of Darryl Kerrigan? How will he react to the currently expanded Melbourne Airport?
It doesn’t seem likely, as the announcement post on Instagram didn’t make mention of the original actors. However, could the man we see be Stephen Curry in a wig, returning as Dale Kerrigan the narrator?
We won’t have long to find out. Tickets are now on sale for the stage adaptation of The Castle. Purchase tickets for the 23 March to 18 April 2027 performances here.
