FORMER Prime Minister Julia Gillard is famous for treading the stage of national politics and now she’s about to become the central character in a new play premiering in Canberra next year.

“Julia”, by Joanna Murray-Smith, will be co-presented by Canberra Theatre Centre and Sydney Theatre Company and features Justine Clarke as Gillard in a production directed by Sarah Goodes.

The play, Canberra Theatre staff enthuse, “premieres in the nation’s capital less than three kilometres from Parliament House where the famous Misogyny Speech occurred 10 years ago.”

For those not in the know, in 2012 Julia Gillard, Australia’s first female Prime Minister, gave a speech that sent shockwaves around the world in reaction to accusations by Opposition Leader Tony Abbott.

Murray-Smith, says: “Much has been written about Julia Gillard and her Misogyny Speech, but I was fascinated by the untold story – who was the Julia Gillard capable of so much passion and where did the rage come from that led to that globally sensational moment?”

For his part, director of Canberra Theatre Centre, Alex Budd, says: “Murray-Smith’s acerbic wit and dramatic imagination combines seamlessly with Hansard to create a thrilling play that weaves a period of our national capital’s history and art together.”

Gillard has long attracted the attention of composers with Rob Davidson’s “Not now. Not ever!” a regular item on the festival circuit.

Now, in a similar initiative, singer-songwriter Karen Jacobsen, the voice of Siri, has been  so inspired by the message of equality in the speech that she composed “Better Standard Than This”, a longform pop orchestral work setting those words – word for word – to music, with permission. It’s part of a full work, the “Misogyny Opus” to be release in February and can be viewed here

“Julia”, The Playhouse, March 18-25. Bookings open on October 13.

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