Last week, ArtsHub published the result of its poll for the best Australian plays of the 21st century so far. From 115 votes from Australian theatre professionals, a clear top five emerged. However, readers have been curious about the other plays that received votes.
The top 5 best Australian plays of the 21st century
As revealed last week, the top five best Australian plays of the 21st century were, in descending order:
- Counting and Cracking by S Shakthidaran
- When the Rain Stops Falling by Andrew Bovell
- Black Is The New White by Nakkiah Lui
- Fangirls by Yve Blake
- Prima Facie by Suzie Miller
The five pieces span a diverse range of themes and genres, including musicals, satire, drama and family sagas.
Receiving just as many votes spread across her body of work, Patricia Cornelius also clearly emerged as one of Australia’s favourite playwrights.
More of the best Australian plays of the 21st century
While the top five plays emerged as clear winners, four plays were tied for the sixth best Australian play of the 21st century. These were:
- 37 by Nathan Maynard
- Do Not Go Gentle by Patricia Cornelius
- Holding the Man by Tommy Murphy
- Triple X by Glace Chase
Again, the plays are diverse in genre and theme. 37 deals with the fallout of the Adam Goodes AFL saga. Do Not Go Gentle is a meditation on morality in Andrew Scott’s Antarctic expedition. Holding the Man is the adaptation of Timothy Conigrave’s memoir, a tragic gay love story. Triple X is a comedy and trans love story.
It would be remiss, at this point, not to mention Paige Rattray’s astounding effect on many of these works. In 2023, she directed a remount of Do Not Go Gentle, but was also keenly involved as the director for the premier productions of three of the best Australian plays of the 21st century: Fangirls, Black Is The New White and Triple X.
The top 12 best Australian plays of the 21st century
The remaining plays in the top 12 were also closely tied, with only minor differences in the number of votes. They were, in no particular order:
- At Any Cost? By David Williamson
- Black Diggers by Tom Wright
- The Black Swan of Trespass by Lally Katz and Chris Kohn
- Trent Dalton’s Boy Swallows Universe adapted by Tim McGarry
- City of Gold by Meyne Wyatt
- Girl Asleep by Matthew Whittet
- Medea by Kate Mulvany and Anne-Louise Sarks
- Moth by Declan Greene
- Once In Royal David’s City by Michael Gow
- The Drover’s Wife by Leah Purcell
- The Hate Race by Maxine Beneba Clarke
- Toy Symphony by Michael Gow
The top 12 best Australian plays of the 21st century traverse genre, generation and theme. They point to Australia’s past and future. Playwrights are diverse in gender expression, racial background and point of view.
