Lauded as a “watershed moment” for Australian theatre in 1955, Summer of the Seventeenth Doll became part of our cultural mythology. Expanded with Kid Stakes and Other Times, Ray Lawler’s trilogy charts the transformation of a nation.

In 2026 The Doll Trilogy will be performed in its entirety for the first time since 1985, by a single ensemble as Lawler intended. Experience the raw beauty, humour and heartbreak that have made these plays a cornerstone of our cultural identity.

From the playful romance of Kid Stakes in 1937, through the war-shadowed years of Other Times, to the shattering conclusion of Summer of the Seventeenth Doll in 1953, the characters embody idealism, disappointment and resilience against the backdrop of a rapidly changing world. Lawler’s masterful writing depicts working class Melbourne with warmth, humour and sensitivity. 

Written for a dedicated ensemble, The Doll Trilogy finds its ideal home at Red Stitch where intimacy, ambition, and the actors’ craft unite to immerse audiences in this uniquely Melbourne story.

Told with Red Stitch’s trademark immediacy and directed by Artistic Director Ella Caldwell (Monument, Oil, The Antipodes), this production celebrates Red Stitch’s ensemble. The trilogy features an award-winning cast and creative team; with Caroline Lee (The Newsreader, Honour), Emily Goddard (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf?), Khisraw Jones-Shukoor (The Comeuppance) alongside long-term members Ngaire Dawn-Fair (The Flick) and Ben Prendergast (The Flick), with John Leary (Bernhardt/Hamlet) and Lucinda Smith (Honour) Red Stitch is acclaimed for “consistently excellent theatre” (Joanna Murray-Smith) and for “punching above their weight” (The Australian). With over 175 productions and multiple national tours to our name, this ambitious staging honours our legacy of risk-taking and excellence.

Presented as the centrepiece of our 25th Anniversary Season, Ray Lawler’s The Doll Trilogy is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the past and present of Australian storytelling in conversation. 

Whether you’re encountering Lawler’s characters for the first time or revisiting them with fresh eyes, The Doll Trilogy promises an unforgettable theatrical journey—one that speaks to who we were, who we are, and how the past continues to shape us.

The production of The Doll Trilogy is proudly supported by TWiSK.

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