La Boite’s second mainstage offering for the year is the Queensland premiere of Blue, a one-man show co-produced by Belvoir St Theatre and written by Thomas Weatherall of Heartbreak High fame. It is a work of deeply personal fiction, which was inspired by Weatherall’s own experiences with depression as a young adult.
Developed for the stage through the Balnaves Fellowship, Blue premiered at Belvoir St Theatre in 2023 as part of the Sydney Festival and went on to be performed at the Australian Theatre Festival in New York. The play recently had a season at the 2024 Adelaide Festival with Callan Purcell in the lead role and is nominated for the 2024 NSW Premier’s Literary Awards for the Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting.
Blue centres around 20-something Mark, also played by Weatherall, who we quickly learn is processing a lot of personal tragedy, namely the untimely death of his ‘Irish twin’ brother John who drowned in the ocean. This event devastated his family, and at his mother’s request, he has moved out of home, but they stay in touch by writing letters to each other.
Weatherall started writing Blue in 2019 as a series of diary entries while studying acting at QUT and living in a share house. The script contains many profound and insightful observations about love, death and grief, and I found myself nodding in agreement several times, particularly during the commentary about suicide ideation and what it really means for loved ones when a family member succumbs to suicide.
Director Deborah Brown brought all the elements together to provide a thoughtful, heartfelt piece of theatre. Set design by Jacob Nash consisted of ‘The Wave,’ a giant white textured curve reminiscent of an ice float, complemented by hypnotic oceanic projections by Video Designer David Bergman and a gentle soundscape by Sound Designer and Composer Wil Hughes. Cool lighting washes in blues and purples by Chloe Ogilvie helped transition between the scenes.
As Mark, Weatherall carried the entire 80-minute show, weaving physicality through his performance which added depth to the storytelling. He gradually removed floor panels to expose a shallow strip of water, which he then dipped in and out of to highlight the plot’s pivotal moments. He even darted up the curved rear wall in an impressive yet fleeting moment of physicality. At the beginning of each thought, Weatherall spoke with a rising inflection at the end of his sentences, a common speaking pattern of young people that can grate, but it didn’t take long to become accustomed to it.
The show I attended had an audience largely filled with a young female demographic, who I assume were Heartbreak High fans keen to stay for the Artist Talk, and it was refreshing to see such a young audience at a main stage theatre presentation. Although this slow-burn production required phones down and full concentration, many young audience members were glued to their seats and were wiping tears away at the end of the show.
It is Weatherall’s hope that Blue inspires people to talk to their family and friends, set boundaries, love each other, read books, swim in the ocean and listen to music constantly. That sounds like a pretty good plan. In the words of Mark’s brother, John: ‘Life may be shit, but it’s also pretty great. It’ll get better.’
Blue is playing at La Boite’s Roundhouse Theatre, Brisbane until 1 June 2024
Sarah Skubala
Other reviews you might enjoy:
- From Darkness (La Boite) – theatre review
- Fancy Long Legs (La Boite Theatre) – theatre review
- The Dead Devils of Cockle Creek (La Boite) – theatre review
Sarah Skubala is a freelance writer and has lived in Highgate Hill for several years. Originally from Adelaide, Sarah has a background in library work and musical publicity. She co-executive produced the award winning short film Down To Earth and has written a comedy short screenplay. She is currently working on a web series and a novella. Sarah is a fixture in West End and can be found wherever there is good coffee and cheap books.