One young man's border-crossing, autobiographical odyssey, from South Sudan to the theatre's stage.

When war ravages everything you know, imagination becomes a tool of survival. Lose to Win is Mandela Mathia's autobiographical telling of his journey as a refugee from the Sudanese civil war, through Egypt and onto Australia.

Mathia's voyage is one of ingenuity and resilience. Two parents lost and a birth country fled; a new home, family and friends slowly established.

Lose to Win is about how with distance, support and the agency to create your own story, even seemingly insurmountable trauma can be a foundation for strength. It shows how joy can flourish when creativity is given the space, tools and peace to thrive.

What's on:

Events and points of interest around Hobart.

21 Jun 2025 - 18 Jan 2026
Shiver
Shiver returns for a school holiday edition perfectly timed for families.
15 Nov 2025 - 28 Feb 2026
Art Farm Birchs Bay Annual Sculpture Prize
Celebrating art in nature, Art Farm Birchs Bay's Annual Sculpture Prize invites people to come and explore sculptures installed along a 2km trail.
20 Aug 2025 - 26 Jan 2026
The World of Butterflies
Explore the beauty, diversity and resilience of butterflies. Featuring hundreds of specimens from around the globe.
11 Dec 2025 - 2 Mar 2026
BBL|14 It Was Our Time
'BBL|14: It Was Our Time' celebrates the unforgettable moment the Hobart Hurricanes claimed their first Big Bash League title.
11 Dec 2025 - 26 Apr 2026
Hobart Current: Here
Hobart Current: Epoch is a thought-provoking contemporary program and exhibition, featuring new works created by 10 artists in response to the theme of ‘epoch’.
6 Jun 2025 - 6 Apr 2026
Arcangelo Sassolino: in the end, the beginning
Italian sculptor Arcangelo Sassolino brings his experiments with force, change and some very hot steel to Mona.
15 Feb 2025 - 16 Feb 2026
Théo Mercier: MIRRORSCAPE
Five countries, five exhibitions: France, Germany, Estonia, Denmark, and now Australia. The latest iteration of Jeremy Shaw’s new venture arrives at Mona.
5 Jan 2026 - 31 Jan 2026
Summer Exhibition
Bett Gallery will celebrate its 40th year of operation in 2026.
30 Dec 2025 - 18 Jan 2026
Big Monkey Theatre’s production of “The Lizard of Aus”
When Maggie Magpie gets her new book of magic, everything at Cooee Creek goes mango-shaped.
9 Jan 2026 - 11 Jan 2026
Cygnet Folk Festival
Discover the Magic of Cygnet Folk Festival!
All events