Afterglow is heading down under next week for its highly anticipated Australian premiere. The critically acclaimed off-Broadway play, written by S. Asher Gelman, is a modern, intimate exploration of desire, honesty and connection. The Scoop chatted with Matthew Predny, one of the play’s three stars, ahead of the season. Matthew gave us a sneak peek into his character, Darius, and what audiences can expect from the show.
Read the full interview below.
Can you give us a little summary of Afterglow, for those who may not be familiar with it?
Afterglow is a fresh, exciting play that puts queer experiences at the front and centre. It’s the story of a married couple who decide to bring in a third for a single night. But this one-off hookup ends up being the genesis for a whole new relationship dynamic.
It’s a story of coming to terms with new feelings and how they can affect our existing relationships. And more importantly, how the way we deal with and communicate these feelings to our partner can be the most dangerous part of the whole experience.
Power dynamics sit at the core of this play. How does your character, Darius, wield power, consciously or unconsciously (spoiler-free)?
This is an interesting question! Darius is, in many ways, a truly morally-pure character. He is sensitive and checks in, and follows other people’s leads to make sure everyone’s happy and comfortable. But his power comes from his use of physical touch. He’s a massage therapist and is most comfortable when communicating through his love language: physical touch.
What deeper insights has S. Asher Gelman been able to offer as both the play’s writer and director that wouldn’t be evident from the script alone?
I think a really interesting aspect of the process has been learning about which parts of the play are based on real life events. I won’t say which because (a) it’s not my place to say and (b) I think the mystery is more interesting.
Why do you think Afterglow feels timely for an Australian audience right now?
This story is something that queer people from all different generations can relate to. But I think the themes addressed in this show, in 2026, have a surprising amount of relevance to non-queer relationships as well. A lot of what happens in this show is certain to start conversations for real couples!
I love that! What do you think audiences can learn about the shared human experience from seeing Afterglow?
That so often in relationships, it’s not about us against each other. It’s us against the problem.
Do you have any advice for drama school graduates for sustaining themselves and surviving in this industry?
A very difficult question! Many times I’ve fallen victim to “giving it up.” Even as recently as December last year, I started telling people closest to me I couldn’t work in the industry anymore. I think it takes some wild mental gymnastics to treat this job as both the only thing you could ever possibly want to do, while also being something that you don’t invest too much of your self-worth into. They are mutually exclusive in nature but we have to lean in to that cognitive dissonance…
Brilliant answer and so true. And finally, are there any projects, creatives, or roles on your professional bucket list?
I want to work on shows that I love, with people that I love being around. And maybe occasionally do an international tour.
Matthew Predny will perform in Afterglow from 30 January – 21 February at Chapel Off Chapel in Melbourne. Little Chapel Street Prahran Vic 3181.
Afterglow then runs in Sydney from 26 February – 22 March at Eternity Playhouse. Burton Street Darlinghurst NSW 2010.
Tickets to Melbourne are here and Sydney are here.
Website: https://www.afterglowplay.com/australia
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/afterglowtheplay/ and https://www.instagram.com/matthewpredny/
Hero image photo credit: Matthew Predny in rehearsal for Afterglow. Photo by Cameron Grant
