In Love Stories, the magic of Trent Dalton’s best-selling book (adapted by Tim McGarry) has been brought to life on stage in a joyous and deeply human production. This theatrical version, directed and dramaturged by Sam Strong with associate director Ngoc Phan, explores the beauty, mess and wonder of love in all its forms. It’s a poignant celebration of the connections that bind us together, even in the most unexpected moments, which feels both universal and yet beautifully specific to Brisbane.Â
The production is guided by a remarkable creative team. The 10-person strong ensemble, with a live feed camera operator beautifully woven in, each holds total command over a range of characters. This is a real ensemble piece that has you celebrating actors being allowed space to do their job and tell these true stories brilliantly. Notably, Bryan Probets and Jeanette Cronin dazzle with impressive craft that equally honours the bold and comical, with the raw and vulnerable. Jason Klarwein as Writer and Husband, leads with deep charisma in his storytelling, making you feel that you can trust him to guide you through the two months’ journey of asking strangers on the street to tell him a love story.
While McGarry’s writing and theatricalisation of Dalton’s work in Love Stories is beautiful, the impulse to try and anchor the overarching arc of this story to the writer’s own marriage feels at times shoehorned in, and lacking the depth that may have elevated the dramatic tension. An attempt to have an important conversation about long-term marriages, intergenerational trauma, mental health and masculinity is made, but could have gone deeper to really match the profound nature of the joy in this work. The balance of light and shade feels slightly off.
Choreographer and movement director Nerida Matthaei brings a stunning physicality to the work, while set and costume designer Renee Mulder creates a world that feels both grounded and honest. Lighting designer Ben Hughes and video designer Craig Wilkinson craft a visual landscape that is both innovative and immersive, heightening the emotional impact of every scene. Stephen Francis’ composition and sound design beautifully underscores the production, adding a layer of musicality that complements the raw emotion of Dalton’s stories. Strong and Phan, alongside this powerhouse creative team, create some truly beautiful theatrical images that house these raw, real reflections on love.
What is most impressive about Love Stories is its ability to transform an 800-plus-seat theatre into what feels like an intimate space where every member of the audience feels included. The ensemble and these stories will make you laugh, tear up and leave you with a profound desire to call a friend or tell someone you love just how much they mean to you.
In a time when we need joy more than ever, Love Stories lifts the spirit.
There was a noticeable energetic shift in the room when John Paul Young’s ‘Love is in the Air’ was played after the curtain call, a moment where the audience shared in the collective delight of what had just been experienced.
But with tickets costing $79 to $99, the exclusivity of this much-needed joyful experience should be pondered.
Read: Trent Dalton’s Love Stories – stage adaptation premieres at Brisbane Festival
The final image of the play takes us through a door and into Adelaide Street, where Dalton gathered many of these stories. It is a fitting and poignant reminder that love is all around us, if we choose to see it.
Love Stories
Based on the book by Trent Dalton
Additional Writing and Story: Trent Dalton and Fiona Franzmann
Adaptor: Tim McGarry
Choreographer and Movement Director: Nerida Matthaei
Associate Director: Ngoc Phan
Set and Costume Design: Renee Mulder
Lighting Design: Ben Hughes
Video Design: Craig Wilkinson
Composition and Sound Design: Stephen Francis
Camera Operator: Tnee Dyer
Cast: Jason Klarwein, Michaela Banas, Rashidi Edward, Kimmie Tsukakoshi, Jeanette Cronin, Matthew Cooper, Bryan Probets, Harry Tseng, Jacob Watton, Hsin-Ju Ely, Lachlan Woods, Ngoc Phan, Joss McWilliam
Love Stories will be performed until 29 September as part of Brisbane Festival.
