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What really happened to Harold Holt? A new comedy presents an interesting new theory

Did you know that we carry part of Harold Holt’s legacy in our pockets? 

Despite being best known for his disappearance, Harold Holt remains one of our most monumental leaders. He converted our country to the dollar, committed us to Vietnam, and called the referendum to count Indigenous Australians in the Constitution.

And beyond politics, his personal life was equally monumental. With a passion for spearfishing, skin diving and extramarital affairs, he was the closest Parliament’s come to being led by James Bond.

So what really happened to Harold Holt?

The answer seems obvious. Our 17th prime minister simply went for a swim which he’d never return from.

But in the 55 years since that swim, a lot more has happened to Holt.

He’s become fodder for an ocean of conspiracies, ranging from CIA submarines to alien abductions.

He’s become the punchline for a tsunami of jokes, memes, and even comic books.

And now, he’s become the subject of a new comedy aiming to salvage some of his legacy.

Back From the Bolt: The Return of Harold Holt sees the man himself return to the modern era for an explosive, tell-all press conference. The show presents an absurd new theory about his disappearance while painting a portrait of this interesting life often shadowed by its unusual end.


Performed by Alex Radovan and directed by Seon Williams, Back From The Bolt will be performed at The Butterfly Club from Wednesday 10 August to Saturday 13 August. Shows will begin at 7pm all nights but the Friday matinee, which will begin at 5:30pm. 

Tickets available at thebutterflyclub.com

Gabi Bergman

Gabi Bergman (she/her) is a Melbourne-based performer and educator, and the current Deputy Editor-in-Chief of AussieTheatre.com. She holds a double degree in Theatre Studies and Film/Screen Studies, along with a Master of Teaching (Secondary Education). A passionate advocate for inclusion and diversity in the arts, Gabi brings her deep love of storytelling to the stage, the page, and the classroom. A lifelong lover of theatre, she spends more on tickets than she’d like to admit. Her most prized possession is her ever-growing collection of theatre programs.

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