An insightful, uplifting and at times heartbreaking glimpse into the many ways that people experience love, Love Stories is for and about everyone
Presented by: Adelaide Festival
Reviewed: 13 March, 2025
Everyone is touched by love – its power to uplift, transform or devastate our fragile human hearts. The longing for love is universal, but just what is love and why does it court such fascination?
In his attempt to answer these questions and, simultaneously, write the greatest love story of all time (his own), author Trent Dalton took to the streets of Brisbane with his sky blue 1960s Olivetti typewriter to ask strangers about their love story. The result was Dalton’s book, Love Stories, a series of vignettes covering a vast spectrum of love and its various forms, from the excitement of new romance to the devotion of grandparents, and everything in between.
The stage production that features as part of the Adelaide Festival brings these stories to life in a visceral way, through drama, dance and the use of live camera action projected onto a giant back screen. At first, the back screen encompasses and reflects the audience then, during the show, its focus is on individual actors. The close-ups that highlight the twinkle in new love’s eyes, or the brimming of tears at love’s loss, or the quirk of a lip, communicates emotion in ways that words alone cannot. Unfortunately, a technical glitch resulted in a slight time delay between audio and visuals as the onstage character relayed their story, which detracted from the overall quality and enjoyability of the production.
The book was adapted by Tim McGarry, directed by Sam Strong, and Dalton shares writing credits with his wife, Fiona Franzmann. A talented cast features actors who each embody multiple characters throughout the show to present those love stories chosen from the 150 or so that Dalton collected. Dalton is played by Jason Klarwein, his wife by Michala Banas, who each well embody a long-married couple far from their early romantic years, love’s flame flickering in the daily grind. The narrative is structured around this marriage story, their memories of early dates, the first flush of romance and the compromises and small failures that can destroy a couple over time. Importantly, this thread supports what would otherwise be a series of unconnected snippets, a voyeur’s view into private lives. The result is a cohesive narrative woven through short and impactful stories of how others experience love.
What also glues this production together is the exuberant, flirty Jean-Benoit played by Rashidi Edward. There is beautiful symmetry in this Rwandan busker who was left for dead under a tree as a baby, now studying cremation to turn dead people into trees. His gorgeous voice and happy persona add much to the uplifting nature of the production and the ultimate message that you only get one life, so live it.
The selection of stories presents a wonderful rainbow of experiences, even more powerful for being real. Starting slow, there is the immediate optimism and energy that accompanies new love, as well as the uncertainty and self-doubt. From these new beginnings, the narrative then becomes darker, showing what all know – that love can end. Some choose self-protection, unwilling to expose themselves to heartache. There is the story of multiple marriage proposals, all publicly refused with a resounding “nup!” There’s the intoxicating energy of a young man besotted with his girlfriend’s eyes, body language, her everything. And there are those, too, who committed too soon, finding that for them, love is about survival.
There are stories of great courage, of standing up for one’s children against abusers, of the agony of life after the death of a spouse, and the beautiful heartache of knowing one’s child will grow and let go. The kaleidoscope twists to focus on familial love, the love that a grandfather has for his eight great grandchildren, the “adult breakup” in which a couple must choose who gets to follow their dreams. There’s even a brief peek into the spicier side with a dominatrix in her leather trench coat and her “imp” on his knees. Dancers weave their soft magic through languid duets and then hype the energy with a flashmob. Music peaks and reflects emotion, as does the back screen that is at times a sky of stars, a cityscape, or a human face. And through it all is the writer, intent on listening to strangers but unable to hear his wife’s laments.
Much kudos must go to the writers of this adaptation for the impact of all stories, big and small, and to the fabulous cast of players who embodied many souls in the course of the show. And of course, the production, book and show, was only possible thanks to the people who lived these lives and were willing to share their experiences with “sentimental writer”. A showreel of these real folk was a welcome part of the finale, as was the fab Whitney tune.
Ultimately, the strength and power of this production derives from the humanity at its core—relatable, uplifting and sad— they are the stories of us all. In the end, it’s doubtful that one is closer to understanding what love is, or perhaps more accurately, being able to explain it. Love Stories demonstrates that “love is a doing word”, that it is as different and as common as people themselves. It is perhaps understanding this that, in the end, connects us all.
Reviewed by Samantha Bond
Venue: Dunstan Playhouse, Adelaide Festival Centre
Season: 13 – 16 March, 2025
Duration: 1 hour 40 minutes (no interval)
Tickets: $89 – $109 (plus booking fees)
Bookings: https://www.adelaidefestival.com.au/events/love-stories/
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