HT - Homegrown hit musical

An award-winning homegrown musical, starring actors from the Sunshine Coast and Hinterland, returns to celebrate two remarkable but scarcely known pioneering Australian women doctors.

Written and composed by Sunshine Coast locals Katy Forde and Aleathea Monsour, A Girl’s Guide to World War, reveals the true story of history-making doctors, Lillian Cooper and Agnes Bennett. 

In 1891, Dr Cooper became Queensland’s first female doctor and Australia’s first female surgeon. She was also a smoking, swearing, rev-head lesbian, who was nevertheless warmly embraced by Brisbane society of the day.

Sydney’s Dr Bennett (played by Aleathea Monsour) had a different experience, forced to leave Australia to pursue her medical career due to the prejudices of the time. 

With the world at war in 1916, both tried to sign up for the official war effort, but were rejected.

Undaunted, they made their way to the Serbian frontline, where together they ran a suffragette-funded all-women hospital so close to the action that it was under constant threat of air raids – and yet it became a model for other Army hospitals. 

Despite the war setting of this acclaimed musical production, the story is alive with the character and humour and loves of its extraordinary protagonists, says Katy.

“It’s just a rollicking good story, inspiring and uplifting, and weaved around some stirring live music from the award-winning all girl band, Vix and the Slick Chix,” said Katy. 

An outstanding ensemble cast provide vivid portraits of fascinating, colourful individuals with whom we long to spend time. Katy Forde’s writing is full of natural humour, often realised through the dialogue of the war hospital’s high-spirited ambulance girls (Maleny local, Rachel Fentiman, and Lucy French-Worthy).

Produced by the Sunshine Coast-based Musical Theatre Australia, A Girl’s Guide to World War is the culmination of a painstaking decade of research by Katy and Aleathea. 

Along with Dr Bennett who ran the Serbian frontline hospital and Dr Cooper who served as Chief Surgeon, the show highlights the role of Dr Cooper’s life partner, Miss Josephine Bedford, who also went to the Serbian frontline and ran the hospital’s ambulance service. 

All three returned as decorated war heroes.

“These women were bold and brave. And yet so few people know about their incredible achievements. 

“We really want everyone – and especially every woman – to know about them,’ said Katy. “That’s why we are so excited to take this show on tour in Queensland in 2025.” 

After its first run on the Sunshine Coast, A Girl’s Guide to World War won two Matilda Awards. It was the first ever regional musical to win the Matilda for Best New Australian Work, while also picking up a Best Supporting Actress Matilda for Susie French as Dr Lilian Cooper. 

On the back of that success, Katy and Aleathea secured funding to take the show on tour in 2025, with performances in Caloundra, Maryborough, Bundaberg, Gladstone, the Redlands and at QPAC’s Cremorne Theatre in Brisbane. 

Tickets for the Caloundra shows are on sale now from The Events Centre, Caloundra, visit the website: theeventscentre.com.au.