WHAT’S ON:

the best theatre, shows and exhibitions

• MARCH 1 Canberra will be a hive of activity for the annual 17-day Enlighten Festival ( 1) – the Parliamentary Triangle with be lit up with projections until the 11th, hot air balloons take to the sky from the 9th and Canberra Day is celebrated on the 11th. enlightencanberra.com

• MARCH 1 The Adelaide Festival ( 4) will see an amazing program of music, dance, theatre and art take over the CBD and surrounds. adelaidefestival.com.au

• MARCH 2 Catch the first major survey exhibition of Australian contemporary artist Ben Quilty ( 3) at The Art Gallery of South Australia. agsa.sa.gov.au

• MARCH 12 Newcomers Natalie Abbott and Elizabeth Esguerra ( 7) step into the shoes of Muriel and Rhonda as Muriel’s Wedding The Musical hits Melbourne’s Her Majesty’s Theatre. ticketek.com.au

• MARCH 22 Queensland Ballet opens its 2019 season with the classic tale of seduction and betrayal, Dangerous Liaisons ( 5), at the Playhouse, QPAC. queenslandballet.com.au

• MARCH 22 Sharon Millerchip ( 9) stars in The Appleton Ladies’ Potato Race at Sydney’s Ensemble Theatre. Inspired by real events, when it’s discovered there’s a gender pay disparity with the prize money for the annual potato race, the new GP stands up. ensemble.com.au

• MARCH 24 Cheese lovers will unite for delectable offerings at the Fromage a Trois Cheese Festival ( 6) at Melbourne’s Werribee Park Mansion. facebook.com/ fromageatroisfestival

• MARCH 30 The National 2019: New Australian Art ( 2) celebrates contemporary works at three venues across Sydney – the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Art Gallery of NSW and Carriageworks. the-national.com.au BOOK NOW The National Gallery of Victoria’s 2019 MelbourneWinter Masterpieces ( 8), from May 24, includes a large-scale presentation of China’s famous ancient Terracotta Warriors alongside works by Cai Guo-Qiang. ngv.vic.gov.au