The Libertine
2 - 11 July 2026
Presented by UpStage at the Playhouse
Produced by HER Productions
Provocative, sensual and unflinchingly human, The Libertine is theatre that refuses to let you look away...
Experience The Libertine across two distinct productions as HER Productions transforms this provocative work through history and into the present day.
John Wilmot, the Earl of Rochester, is a poet, a wit, and a notorious rake at the court of King Charles II. Armed with a lethal charm and a contempt for hypocrisy, they dedicate their life to pleasure and satire. When they meet the ambitious actress Elizabeth Barry, they find a spirit as formidable as their own, forcing them to confront the devastating cost of their own nihilism.
Following their successful Romeo and Juliet: A Reimagining in 2024, HER Productions returns to the UpStage at the Playhouse program with a provocative and darkly comic work that challenges audiences with a searing duet between destruction and creation, and the quest for truth in a world of glittering decay.
To unravel the timeless themes of The Libertine, we invite you to experience two distinct versions of this production. The first is a gripping, historically-set piece, where the male Rochester’s self-destruction plays out against the emerging power of women. The second is an exciting reimagining of our time, featuring a woman as Rochester, who subverts the very confines of this iconic role and asks: how does the story transform when a female body wields the same toxic, brilliant power?
See both to witness a masterful play transformed across centuries. A thrilling conversation about gender, power and the roles we are still fighting to break.
Which version of The Libertine will you experience - period or contemporary? Explore the schedule and choose your path.
| Thursday (Opening Night) 2 July 2026, 7pm | Period (Then) |
| Friday 3 July 2026, 7pm | Contemporary (Now) |
| Saturday 4 July 2026, 2pm | Period (Then) |
| Saturday 4 July 2026, 7pm | Contemporary (Now) |
| Thursday 9 July 2026, 7pm | Period (Then) |
| Friday 10 July 2026, 7pm | Contemporary (Now) |
| Saturday 11 July 2026, 2pm | Period (Then) |
| Saturday 11 July 2026, 7pm | Contemporary (Now) |
Seeing both adaptations? Save $5 on the second performance by selecting the 'Second Version Discount Offer' at Seat Selection.
Running time: 2 hrs 20 mins, inc interval. Running times are approximate and subject to change without notice.
This performance contains violence and sexual themes.
Strictly 18+.
Concession tickets include means-tested pension card holders, full time students, and under 18s.
The Libertine is proudly part of the UpStage at the Playhouse 2026 season, an exciting initiative developed by the Civic Theatre Newcastle aiming to connect with the vibrancy and talent of our local theatre community.
