For an Australian composer to have not one but two of their musicals revived is comparatively rare. To have them both on at the same time is even more remarkable. But such is the happy situation Max Lambert will find himself in January when a 30th anniversary production of Darlinghurst Nights opens at the Hayes Theatre Co, while Miracle City, starring Missy Higgins, plays at the Brisbane Powerhouse prior to a season at Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre in February.

“I was trying to work out whether an Australian having two musicals on at the same time was a bit of a first. And maybe it is, or maybe that happened a lot in 1926. But it hasn’t happened a lot in my life time I don’t think,” says Lambert.

Born in Sydney in 1955, Lambert is one of Australia’s leading musical directors, theatre composers and arrangers, whose many credits include working as Musical Supervisor on The Boy From Oz,David Atkins’ Hot Shoe Shuffle, Hairspray, King Kong – The Musical and Strictly Ballroom – The Musical. His recent theatre credits include composing the music for Griffin Theatre Company’s productions of Diving for Pearls, The Literti and Ladies’ Day.

He co-composed Berlin for Sydney Dance...