IPSWICH Little Theatre has revealed a bold and eclectic 2026 season, with four productions spanning classic drama, reimagined Shakespeare, contemporary comedy and an historical epic.
The program showcases a mix of local talent and celebrated international writing, offering audiences everything from gritty realism to playful theatrical invention.
The season opens with The Shawshank Redemption (February 25 – March 14), adapted by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns from Stephen King’s novella and the much-loved 1994 film.
Directed by Shane Mallory with Amanda Harrison as assistant director, the production brings to the stage the story of Andy Dufresne, a quietly determined prisoner navigating injustice, brutality and the sustaining power of hope.
In May, ILT presents Ophelia Chooses (May 14-31), a fresh and feminist twist on Hamlet written by Buddy White and directed by Alison Lees with Robyn Flashman assisting.
The play imagines a modern woman dropping into Shakespeare’s tragedy to persuade Ophelia to rewrite her fate – much to the frustration of the Bard himself.
September brings The Pink Hammer (September 16 – October 3), a New Zealand comedy by Michele Amas that follows four women whose carpentry tutor disappears with their fees.
Directed by Jim Orr and assistant director Chris Austin-Greenhill, the story unfolds as the group descends upon the tutor’s irritated husband, Woody, whose carefully ordered “man cave” is upended by the women’s arrival.
The year closes with the theatrical spectacular Ben Hur (November 18 – December 5), Patrick Barlow’s audacious four-actor adaptation of the historical epic.
Directed by Sam Hoepner with support from Melinda Park, the production promises a tongue-in-cheek but technically ambitious staging complete with combat, a sea battle, and what’s described as a “103 per cent bona fide chariot race”.
