Gladys and the dodgy dude from Wagga Wagga

THE new musical comedy about Gladys Berejiklian, The Woman Who Saved Australia but couldn’t save herself, comes to the Byron Theatre on April 12.

A crack team of multi-instrumentalists and comedians traverse the former NSW Premier’s early life and her leadership through two disasters, until the ultimate catastrophe, ‘Dodgy Daryl’ from Wagga Wagga, in Gladys: A Musical Affair.

The multi-disciplinary troupe blends comedy, multiple character acting, and musicianship spanning guitars, bouzouki, banjo, ukelele, clarinet, saxophone, bass, drums and more.

After a sold-out event in 2024, the Wollongong-based ensemble behind the satirical Gladys YouTube sensation revisited the times with music and lyrics by ABC Radio’s Nick Rheinberger, and Tia Wilson returning as Berejiklian, resplendent in a range of trademark colourful blazers.

As well as Rheinberger starring as Daryl Maguire and Brad Hazzard, Mel Wishart plays Kerry Chant, Mrs Berejiklian and Ruth McColl, and Rob Laurie embodies Shane Fitzsimmons, Mr Berejiklian and Scott Robertson.

Rheinberger said the scandal was ripe for the stage.

“In one newspaper, she was ‘the woman who saved Australia’, and yet a few months later, she was gone because of this relationship,” he said.

“It had all the elements of classic tragedy. So, we thought we’ve got to turn this into a show.”

The Guardian called the production ‘political satire at its finest’ and ‘a rollicking ride’.

With big rock numbers, epic ballads, Armenian matchmaking, tap dancing and even more musical press conferences, the Premier’s secret life becomes exposed in ICAC phone taps, heralding a classic fall from grace.

The show features a few torch songs and big musical numbers from Gladys, a little country from Daryl, and some stern words from Kerry.

The producers claim the show is not just a musical comedy but a document of satire of the strange and volatile years of bushfires and the pandemic.

Laughter is medicine, and after those precarious and tense times, it seems a lot of us wish to continue taking it.

For tickets, visit byroncentre.com.au/theatre-events/gladys-a-musical-affair .