Steel Magnolias review [Melbourne 2026]

Now with the added charm of being a pretty period piece, characterful classic Steel Magnolias returns to share laughter and love with a new generation of theatregoers. Originally written to work through the emotions of a family tragedy, Robert Harling’s 1987 play Steel Magnolias was a hit off-Broadway, quickly reaching much greater prominence with the release the 1989 all-star film. The key role of Shelby earned Julia Roberts an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress and also gave Nicole Kidman her stage debut in the Australian premiere season in 1988. Portraying a generous slice of life in the American South of the late 1980s, the six colourful women of Steel Magnolias bond and bicker in Truvy’s hair salon. While there is a degree to which the forthright women are larger than life, it is the heartfelt emotional core of truth that gives the play its timeless pathos and power. Deftly chronicling an eventful couple of years in just four tightly written scenes, Steel…