Jonathan Larson’s RENT musical was first performed on stage on 26 January 1996, the day after he passed away suddenly in his kitchen. Larson didn’t get to witness the lasting impact his creative work has had at a global level. Almost 30 years later, RENT returns to our country and finds itself in the most iconic venue, the Joan Sutherland Theatre in the Sydney Opera House.
This production can only be described as epic. The staging is complex and intricate, with moveable parts, great levels, and creative lighting that made you feel like you were really in the heart of New York in the 1980s/90s. It’s dim and dark, and a group of young people come together forming friendships, romantic relationships, battling to be able to live in the city that never sleeps, all told over the course of a year (or ‘Five Hundred, Twenty-Five Thousand, Six Hundred Minutes’, to be precise).
Vocal standouts are Calista Nelmes (Maureen) and Imani Williams (Joanne), which came together in the mind-blowing “Take Me or Leave Me”. They are real powerhouses and captivated the audience with their stunning voices. There is also an unforgettable “Over the Moon” number, where the performance artist Maureen dons an outfit with multiple nipples, mooing to the audience atop a long ladder. Something we will not be forgetting anytime soon.
The diversity in the casting for this production of RENT is noted and also completely necessary, especially when such diversity is ever-present in the characters themselves. All walks of life including gender and sexual diversity, cultures, socio-economic status, reflecting the real melting pot that is New York City. The producers (Lauren Peters and Toby Francis) also note their intention to “reflect the diversity of contemporary Australian communities through stories and music, management, employees and creative teams”. And so, these two seemingly disparate worlds collide on the Sydney stage, and it works seamlessly.
To further create these links, the opening night also had a very special moment when the cast of the original Australian production of RENT were invited on stage and performed a reprise of ‘Seasons of Love’ with the current cast. RENT had opened in Sydney in 1998 and continued to tour the country from 1999. This was a great full-circle moment and an even better way to celebrate the opening of this musical at the Sydney Opera House.
For those of you who are familiar and fond of the music and lyrics of RENT (favourites include ‘Light My Candle’, ‘La Vie Bohème’, ‘Take Me or Leave Me’ and ‘Seasons Of Love’, to name only a few), there is a special Singalong performance on Thursday 23 October at 7:30pm, where you are encouraged to dress-up as East Village New Yorkers or free-spirited bohemians. Don’t miss the opportunity to belt out, “No day but today!”
FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Reviewer attended opening night on 1 October 2025.
RENT is playing at the Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House until November 2025.
Tickets available here: Rent | Sydney Opera House
Header image credit: Pia Johhnson
