To open their 2026 season Holden Street Theatres Inc. are bringing the Olivier-nominated smash hit play Till The Stars Come Down to Adelaide for the first time.
Following its critically acclaimed premiere in London, this play, written by award-winning British playwright Beth Steel, captivated UK audiences with its authentic and raw portrayal of family, class and belonging.
Till The Stars Come Down director and Holden Street Theatre’s Director in Residence Nick Fagan spoke to Glam Adelaide about the production, his creative vision for Holden Street throughout 2026 and what it is about the performing arts and creating theatre that he finds so appealing.
“I love the art of telling a story. As a kid and a young man, I always had dreams of being a filmmaker, but that didn’t eventuate for whatever reason. But I found theatre relatively young. Although I still love film, I love the way that live theatre is able to connect with an audience directly in front of you. For me, it’s all about the audience and giving them an experience. Being able to tell a story that hopefully will affect them in some way. It’s the feeling that our story touched them in some way; that is what gives me the passion to do it again and again.”
We were curious to know if Nick had a theme in mind or a specific process when selecting the shows for Holden Street Theatre’s 2026 program.
“I didn’t have a particular theme in mind as such, but I wanted the three shows to be different enough in terms of style, story, cast size, and all that sort of thing. I’ve been pretty fortunate, in my time as a director, that I’ve only directed things that I’ve chosen and I absolutely love, that I would say is on my theatrical bucket list. So I can honestly say, hand-on-heart, that the three shows that I’ve curated for this year at Holden Street Theatres are 3 of my bucket list shows.”
Till The Stars Come Down is a fiercely funny, deeply moving portrait of family, class, and the fragile ties that bind us together. Picture a family wedding – a day meant for joy and celebration…until the cracks begin to show.
Nick shared with Glam Adelaide what drew him to this play.
“The play was first introduced to me by a theatre friend who saw the National Theatre live filming of it. He told me that it had my name all over it, and after watching it and reading the script I absolutely fell in love with it. On the surface it seems like a family drama, but there is some real grit to the script, and lots of deep emotions.”
At the heart of the production is a powerhouse ensemble of some of South Australia’s most celebrated and seasoned performers, including Martha Lott, Michelle Nightingale, Krystal Cave, Jo St Clair, Brendan Cooney, Brant Eustice, Spencer Scholz, Steve Turner, Laura Lines and Millie Fagan.
“This cast has been a dream to work with, to be perfectly honest with you. They all share the same love and passion for this play as I do. When I’m looking at casting a show, I’ll often send them the script, and they have read it and share at least some of my passion towards the play. I find when there is that common ground, then it really translates on the stage. They are all really passionate about this play, and the rehearsal process has been an absolute dream. It’s not an easy play either. It’s very much an ensemble piece of theatre where everyone in the cast has their own moments. They have all been extremely professional in how they have approached the text, which makes directing them so joyful.”
Till the Stars Come Down is a headline attraction in Holden Street Theatres Inc.’s 2026 season, marking an exciting new chapter for the South Australian theatre hub.
“I’m really excited for Adelaide audiences to feel the way I felt when I read this for the first time – those feelings that you get when you see something that really touches you. I had physical goosebumps when I read sections of this play. I’m still getting those, even this late in the process, when I see the actors perform it. It’s a relatively young play and we will be one of the first companies to have the rights and be able to perform it. It’s also going to be a little different in how it’s staged to what people are used to at Holden Street. I’m excited for that and to see their reactions.”
Till The Stars Come Down
Holden Street Theatres
26th May – 13th June 2026
https://www.holdenstreettheatres.com/till-the-stars-come-down
