On opening night of Trent Dalton’s Love Stories at Riverside Theatres Parramatta, as the theatre doors opened and people trickled in, we were met with a shocking sight. Ourselves on stage.
Not literally on the floorboards of the stage, but mirrored through the use of a camera and live-feed projecting our every move onto the back wall of the set. A typewriter sat centre-stage, silhouetted in a spotlight, and fading in and out above our faces on the back screen was a rotating bank of small anecdotes with people’s definitions of love. Before the play had even begun, the message was clear: the greatest love stories are yet to be told by us.
Love Stories is the brainchild of journalist and novelist Trent Dalton, who set up a typewriter on a Brisbane street corner in 2021 with a simple sign: “Sentimental writer collecting love stories. Do you have one to share?”
The result was a bestselling book of the same name, filled with real people’s tales of romance, heartbreak, family, friendship, and everything in between. Its stage adaptation by Tim McGarry, with additional writing from Dalton and Fiona Franzmann, premiered at the 2024 Brisbane Festival, and now lands in Parramatta as part of its national journey.
On stage, the show unfolds as a kaleidoscope of vignettes, weaving together true accounts of love, both ordinary and extraordinary. A man recalls the moment he first laid eyes on his future wife. A woman finds humour and hope after loss. Families discover resilience, friends’ loyalty, and strangers’ connection. Some stories are fleeting and whimsical, others deeply moving. But all remind us that love, in its many guises, is what binds us.
What struck me first was the warmth of the ensemble. This is truly an actor’s showcase, and each performer brought a unique texture to the night.
Rashidi Edward’s grounded presence, Anna McGahan’s luminous vulnerability, and Bryan Probets’ effortless humour stood out in particular. Though the beauty of the piece lies in its collective rhythm. Jason Klarwein, Valerie Bader, Antony Dyer, Hsin-Ju Ely, Kirk Page, Ngoc Phan, Will Tran, and Jacob Watton each stepped seamlessly into multiple lives, giving voice to strangers’ stories with compassion and precision.
Director Sam Strong makes the staging look deceptively simple, when in reality it is more likely tonnes of intricate planning and meticulous detail executed to perfection.
The opening montage that incorporates up to three cameras weaving between the cast as they move between stories was masterful. It is this perceived simplicity, however, that allows the humanity of the stories to shine through.
All around me throughout the 100-minute runtime, I heard people sniffling at different interactions that affected them the most. For me, it was the journey of a Japanese woman, Sakuma Toori.
Renee Mulder’s set and costume design evokes both the everyday and the poetic. Ben Hughes’ lighting gives each vignette its own emotional hue.
And yet the standout is the combination of Craig Wilkinson’s video design and Nerida Matthaei’s movement direction. This multidisciplinary theatre adds a cinematic layer and an emotional throughline that elevates this show from a mere translation of a novel to a full-blown adaptation of it.
Trent Dalton’s Love Stories is exactly what its title promises: an ode to the messy, fragile, hilarious, transformative thing that makes us human. As Emily Dickinson says, “That love is all there is, is all we know of love.”
Love is mouthing the phrase “My left shoe.” Love is a hug without any words needing to be spoken. Love is the space between the neck and shoulder. Love is finding three good things in a day, even if it is really hard. Love is the beginning and the end of every good thing. Love is the thread that binds us together. So go tell your love story. And go see this play!
Trent Dalton’s Love Stories runs to 20 September at Riverside Theatres, Parramatta, as part of a national tour. See full dates below.
Tickets are available here.
Website: https://riversideparramatta.com.au/whats-on/trent-daltons-love-stories/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/trentdaltonauthor/ and https://www.instagram.com/riversideparra/
Photo credits: Andrew Beveridge and David Kelly
2025 Australian Tour Dates:
Sydney 11 – 20 September, Riverside Theatres, Parramatta On sale now
Canberra 24 – 27 September, Canberra Theatre Centre On sale now
Darwin 2 – 4 October, Darwin Entertainment Centre On sale now
Gold Coast 9 – 11 October, Home of the Arts (HOTA) On sale now
