JULIA by Joanna Murray-Smith
Location
About
In 2012, Julia Gillard delivered a speech that ricocheted across Australia, New Zealand, and around the world. Now, the woman and the moment is brought to the stage in Julia. This gripping one-woman show puts us inside a very public storm, and reveals the life and career that led to it.
From idealistic young advocate to leader under relentless scrutiny, Julia takes us behind the microphone of the landmark “misogyny speech.” It steps into the personal, political and socio-cultural forces that forged it. Blending real excerpts with scenes inspired by true events, this is more than one leader’s story. It’s a sharp, human look at how we judge power, how we listen to women, and what we demand of those who lead us.
Against a backdrop of progress and pushback on gender equality, Julia takes on fresh resonance here in Aotearoa. It draws the line between conviction and compromise, private life and public duty. And it asks what it costs to stand your ground and say “not now, not ever” in a world that still questions women who lead.
A BIRDS OF A FEATHER production in collaboration with Brave Theatre.
Performed by Lara Macgregor
Directed by Mel Dodge
Wed 11 – Sun 22 November, 2026
Tues- Sat 7pm, Sunday 2pm
$25 – $55
ALLEN HALL THEATRE
Audience Care: Recommended 13+. Mild language warning.
Duration: 100 minutes.
“Julia is an intoxicating and fascinating experience that hits something deep and resounding within us.” – Time Out
"As Julia Gillard, Macgregor never slips into easy imitation - she stalks the role, then strikes, distilling her subject into something fierce, exact, and unforgettable..." - The Coffee Bar Kid
From idealistic young advocate to leader under relentless scrutiny, Julia takes us behind the microphone of the landmark “misogyny speech.” It steps into the personal, political and socio-cultural forces that forged it. Blending real excerpts with scenes inspired by true events, this is more than one leader’s story. It’s a sharp, human look at how we judge power, how we listen to women, and what we demand of those who lead us.
Against a backdrop of progress and pushback on gender equality, Julia takes on fresh resonance here in Aotearoa. It draws the line between conviction and compromise, private life and public duty. And it asks what it costs to stand your ground and say “not now, not ever” in a world that still questions women who lead.
A BIRDS OF A FEATHER production in collaboration with Brave Theatre.
Performed by Lara Macgregor
Directed by Mel Dodge
Wed 11 – Sun 22 November, 2026
Tues- Sat 7pm, Sunday 2pm
$25 – $55
ALLEN HALL THEATRE
Audience Care: Recommended 13+. Mild language warning.
Duration: 100 minutes.
“Julia is an intoxicating and fascinating experience that hits something deep and resounding within us.” – Time Out
"As Julia Gillard, Macgregor never slips into easy imitation - she stalks the role, then strikes, distilling her subject into something fierce, exact, and unforgettable..." - The Coffee Bar Kid