Melbourne may still be waiting to see Suzie Miller’s highly regarded play Prima Facie, which has gone from Sydney to the West End, but the city can be grateful for the world premiere of her latest, Anna K. Inspired by classic novel Anna Karenina, this three-hander shows how a woman who chooses to be true to herself and pursue her desires is still vilified if society decides that’s at odds with her perceived duties as wife and mother. Miller’s modern-day Anna is a powerful public figure, so this gendered hypocrisy means she is not just politely shut down, but also attacked with violent, sexualised comments online.

Caroline Craig and Callan Colley in Anna K, Malthouse Theatre, 2022. Photo © Pia Johnson

Directed with restraint by Carissa Licciardello, who keeps the focus on Miller’s insightful, sometimes biting text, Anna K is a sobering exploration of how gender equality is still far from reality 150 years on from Tolstoy’s novel. It’s entirely set in a large hotel room, where the title character is enjoying time with her younger lover, Lexi. He’s an army whistleblower recently interviewed by Anna, a...