A Love Letter to Life Itself: ‘Trent Dalton’s Love Stories’ Sets Hearts Racing at The Civic
Few writers capture the joy, ache, and messy wonder of being human quite like Trent Dalton. A natural-born storyteller with a flair for the poetic and the profound, Dalton knows a thing or two about love; and in Trent Dalton’s Love Stories, that universal heartbeat takes centre stage in an unforgettable theatrical experience.
It all began in 2021, when Dalton set up his vintage sky-blue Olivetti typewriter on a Brisbane street corner and asked everyday Australians one simple question: “Can you please tell me a love story?” What followed were 150 real tales — tender, tragic, hilarious, and hopeful — that became his celebrated book Love Stories. Now, thanks to director Sam Strong, writer Tim McGarry, and a visionary creative team, those stories have leapt from page to stage in a wildly inventive, soul-stirring production that’s now lighting up Auckland’s Civic Theatre thanks to Auckland Live.
Get ready to fall in love all over again. This restless city has a story to tell.
“I believe in touch. I believe in song. I believe she remembers him. I believe the perfect girl can always meet the perfect boy. I believe we are not alone in the universe.”
A father prepares himself for the day he lets go of his daughter’s hand. A young man breaks up with his girlfriend so they can both follow their dreams. A couple play nice in public to hide the fractures at home. A woman rebuilds herself along with a flood-devastated city. A working mum contemplates taking the photographs of her late husband down from the fridge. A grandmother dreams of seeing her grandson’s face. A renowned 100-year-old scientist ponders the one great earthly puzzle he was never able to solve: ‘What is love?’
From the moment the lights go down, Love Stories bursts to life in a kaleidoscope of colour, sound, and movement. Through clever multimedia, dynamic choreography, and expressive camera work, audiences are swept into a sensory storm of love in all its forms. There’s a fluid energy to the show — it moves and breathes like love itself, shifting from sweetness to heartbreak, from longing to laughter, never missing a beat.
Director Sam Strong and choreographer Nerida Matthaei treat the audience as participants, not observers. This is theatre that grabs you by the heart and refuses to let go. The fusion of dance, dialogue, and digital storytelling gives Love Stories a pulsating rhythm: it’s as fresh, modern, and emotionally charged as live theatre gets.
A powerhouse cast drives the emotion home. Rashidi Edward steals the spotlight as Jean Benoit, the play’s narrator and trickster guide, channeling a magnetic mix of charm and mischief that keeps the energy electric. Jason Klarwein anchors the production as the unnamed writer, while Anna McGahan delivers an exquisite performance as his wife. Their shared journey through love’s highs and lows feels intimate, real, and raw. And then there’s Ngoc Phan, whose luminous presence and deeply affecting “three things” monologue is one of the production’s most moving highlights, leaving the audience teetering on the edge of tears.
What makes Trent Dalton’s Love Stories so powerful is its truth. Every tale, every confession, every whispered “I love you” or “I miss you” comes from real people who sat at Dalton’s typewriter and poured their hearts out. That authenticity fuels the play’s emotional core, making it impossible not to be swept up in its tide.
And make no mistake, this is an unapologetically Australian work, bursting with warmth, humour, and that unique Aussie spirit. Like Strictly Ballroom and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, Love Stories celebrates the quirks and courage of ordinary people doing something extraordinary: loving one another.
There’s something sacred about live theatre, that shared heartbeat between audience and performer, and Trent Dalton’s Love Stories captures it in the most joyous way imaginable. It’s not just a play; it’s a living, breathing meditation on love itself. Dalton and his collaborators invite us to feel every emotion, to tell our own stories, and to remember that love, in all its chaotic glory, is what makes us human.
So open your heart, take someone’s hand, and let Trent Dalton’s Love Stories sweep you off your feet. It’s a show that will move you, delight you, and remind you to live and love loudly.
Trent Dalton’s Love Stories is playing at The Civic until Sunday, 19 October. Don’t miss it. Get your tickets here.
