Work on Abbott! The Musical began in 2014, where writers from the troupe George Glass set about the task of tackling Australia's most turbulent Prime Minister. It was given its debut at the 2015 Adelaide Fringe Festival. The libretto was forced to undergo major reconstruction six days before opening in Melbourne, however, following Malcolm Turnbull's successful challenge for the Liberal Party's leadership.
The musical was re-worked again in 2016. This version sees 'our least forgettable' Prime Minister embark on the biggest and least successful publicity crawl ever seen in Australia to claw back an approval rating that has slipped down the polls faster than a drunk burlesque dancer. 'With Malcolm lurking in the wings, don't miss out on the epic tale of the spectacular rise and fall of Australia's 28th, budgie smuggling, onion eating PM.' The cast of charcaters includes Joe Hockey, Julie Bishop, Scott Morrison, Malcolm Turnbull and Peta Credlin.
[Source: Abbott the Musical website]
2015 (Version 1): First produced at the Channel 9 Kevin Crease Studios in Adelaide as part of the Adelaide Fringe Festival (4-14 March). The cast included Nicholas Conway (Tony Abbott), Alister McMichael (Joe Hockey), and Mikka Ewens, Will Maitland.
2015 (Version 2): Premiered at the Tuxedo Cat, La Trobe Street, Melbourne; 21 September - 4 October. The cast included Nicholas Conway (Tony Abbott), Alister McMichael (Joe Hockey), and Daniel Murnane (Malcolm Turnbull)
2016 (Version 3: Premiered at the Tandanya Cafe, Grenfell Street, Adelaide as part of the Adelaide Fringe Festival (24 February - 5 March). The cast included Nicholas Conway (Tony Abbott), Alister McMichael (Joe Hockey), Daniel Murnane (Malcolm Turnbull), Ellis Dolan (Peter Dutton), Lisa Harper Campbell (Julie Bishop).
'There has never been a more exciting time to restage a musical about Tony Abbott. Or has there? This 2015 musical comedy about his disastrous prime ministership needed a dramatic rewrite after Malcolm Turnbull's ascension. The result feels unbalanced. Rather than being the star of his own show, Tony Abbott is sidelined by the plots of Turnbull and Julie Bishop...' (Tim Richards).
'Following a sold-out season at the 2015 Adelaide Fringe Festival, Abbott! The Musical is back with a bigger band, larger theatre and newly added material due to the constantly evolving political sphere in Australia...' (Bobby Goldie).
'There has never been a more exciting time to restage a musical about Tony Abbott. Or has there? This 2015 musical comedy about his disastrous prime ministership needed a dramatic rewrite after Malcolm Turnbull's ascension. The result feels unbalanced. Rather than being the star of his own show, Tony Abbott is sidelined by the plots of Turnbull and Julie Bishop...' (Tim Richards).
'Following a sold-out season at the 2015 Adelaide Fringe Festival, Abbott! The Musical is back with a bigger band, larger theatre and newly added material due to the constantly evolving political sphere in Australia...' (Bobby Goldie).
