CURRENT PROJECTS
Coming in 2026
GOSSIP
Melbourne International Comedy Festival
Heaven forbid a woman get a little chatty amiright? Oh gossip, sweet forbidden fruit. But what is it really? Guilty pleasure, or civil duty? Investigative journalism, or trashy tabloid? Buckle up for the wild ride that is one woman’s theatrical presentation on her latest special interest. There will be graphs, there will be sequins, and there will be a quiz- so pay attention. Can gossip be ethical? Can a show about ethics be funny? All will be revealed in this philosophical musical comedy cabaret complete with original songs and dazzling burlesque interludes … but you didn't hear it from me.
After three sell-out seasons of her one woman mythological cabaret: The Story of Cerberus- A Very Good Boy, Abi Ban-Jo now takes to the stage to question why gossip makes one a very bad girl.
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March 23, 2026 5:45 PM - March 29, 2026 6:45 PM
Sainting Joan
Hear the voices and feel the fire in this new musical.
You are cordially invited to the canonisation of Joan of Arc. Saint Peter’s Basilica is filled to the brim with spirits as preparation for the sainting begins. Nearly five hundred years after the English burned her at the stake, the French hero is getting officially recognised. It has been a long time coming, and the ghosts at the back of the cathedral all want to have their say on the matter. Jealous kings and corrupt judges play devils advocate to Joan’s legacy, while the spirits of her friends and allies remember her courage, impact, and general bad-assery. Complete with original songs, Sainting Joan is a historic rock musical that blends camp and catholic imagery to tell the life story and legacy of the icon Joan of Arc.
Wednesday 20 May - 7:30pm (Preview)
Thursday 21 May - 7:30pm (Opening)
Friday 22 May - 7:30pm
Saturday 23 May - 7:30pm
Tuesday 26 May - 7:30pm
Wednesday 27 May - 7:30pm
Thursday 28 May - 7:30pm
Friday 29 May - 7:30pm
Saturday 30 May - 7:30pm
MANtisEATER
And the Creature Cabaret
MANtisEATER is Abigail's cabaret persona, a cannibalistic praying mantis with revenge on her mind.
She runs a creature cabaret that is home to plenty of other creepy-crawlies, all with peculiar and sometimes gruesome definitions of romance.
Song, dance, burlesque, and bugs, this mean green fever dream will reach stages when live performance is possible.
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If you would like Mantis to make an appearance in your variety show, or as a guest at your burlesque/queer night club, please express your interest below:
Pictured: Apollo and Artemis as depicted by Jess Lu (Neighbours, 2021) and Sebastian Angliss-Li (New Gold Mountain, 2021). Taken by Isabella Caldwell.
Aphrodite's Children
A play written by Abigail Banister-Jones, waiting for theatre to open up again. This play trawls through Greek myths – some of the oldest stories around – and recontextualizes them to unearth tales of alternate love, to create a space where all forms of love are acknowledged to have equal importance. It follows a chorus of scholars who are trying to understand the complexities of the emotion through experiencing some key examples from mythology. It is a fantastical romp through legend, with moments of levity and of heartbreak, of joy, and desperation.
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If you are curating a season of theatre and want to hear more about this play, please express your interest below:
Crime Doesn't Pay:
A Radio Play
A radio play recorded during lockdown, over zoom, and edited together into an audio spectacular.
Crime Doesn't Pay follows the lives of a couple of millennial vigilante superheroes trying to make a living, and their downfall into crime.
It is in six ten minute episodes, and is accompanied by original music inspired by radio plays from the 1930s.
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If you are interested in broadcasting this play on your radio station, please express your interest below:
Strawberry Jams:
An Album
Abigail Banister-Jones and Darcie Grosser, the duo known as 12 Veggilantes, are set to release their album Strawberry Jams, which will be available on all major music streaming services.
Their lyrical themes range from the nutritional value of legumes, to the impact of otters on climate change, and even the religion of sheep.
Their musical genres range from folk, to country, to punk.