The world has spent hundreds of years researching and questioning who Shakespeare was, but few asked the far more interesting question; who was his wife? After a successful run at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival earlier this year, Cubby House Theatre brings their debut musical comedy about learning to overcome grief and taking back your own autonomy to the Melbourne Fringe Festival.
Left the “second-best bed” in his will (rude, William), Anne Hathaway is officially done being a historical footnote. Newly widowed and very much still grieving — Anne is forced to confront her legacy when Shakespeare’s most iconic creations from whimsical fairies to chaotic witches start dropping in uninvited to guide her through the five stages of grief.
Being a Shakespeare buff herself, 2026 RAW Comedy Finalist Mae McCubbin began developing the work in late 2023 after realising she knew so much about the most influential writer in history, but little to nothing about his wife. With her uniquely witty writing and live instrumentation, McCubbin takes what we know about ‘The Bard’ and his wife and turns it on its head, guiding the audience through a fantastical journey of self-discovery.
October 5 – 10
melbournefringe.com.au
