Local actor Owen Hasluck shows off his immense talent in Black Swan State Theatre’s latest production. The one-man play Blue is a journey through trauma, but Hasluck and director Ian Wilkes have found the moments of comedy, conflict, and levity to make it, for the most part, a carefully balanced theatrical experience.
Thomas Weatherall, perhaps best known for his acting in the remake of Heartbreak High, got high praise for his 2023 play Blue when it made its debut at Belvoir Theatre in Sydney.
In the debut production Weatherall not only wrote the piece by also took centre stage in the single actor work, and he’ also staged the play at Brisbane’s La Boite Theatre.
Last year the State Theatre Company staged a production, with actor Callan Purcell in the starring role. With the play quickly becoming one of the most talked about new works of Australian theatre Black Swan State Theatre snapped it up for their 2025 season.
It’s the story of Mark, a young man who has more than his fair share of trauma and grief to process. He’s had his own mental health struggles, but things are pushed into overdrive when he is forced to deal with a traumatic incident.
He’s finishing high school and heading to uni, moving into a share house and starting his first serious relationship, but his baggage is not just his belongings. He’s working out how the world works, who he is, and at the same time battling mental health, family challenges and trying to move on from a life changing event.
Owen Hasluck impressed us last year in Yirra Yaakin’s production of Songbird and here he makes a big splash in this starring role for Black Swan. The NIDA graduate is one of the most engaging actors we’ve seen in recent years. His performance delivers a multifaceted character who the audience falls in love with, and then prays that he makes through the trials of life.
The set from designer Cherish Marrington features a variety of different shaped boxes that are cleverly and subtly moved around the stage to create different settings, but the big feature of this staging is two giant revolving glass doors that turn and spin to take us to many different places.
It’s a play that takes on many heavy topics, including mental health suicide ideation, loss and trauma and the complexity of relationships.
Running at 90 minutes without an interval its a intense journey for the most part, but there are moments when the tension waned and the story dragged. There are certainly sections where there was the perfect mix of humour, insight and creativity to counterweight the serious subjects covered, but other sections drifted into the drama doldrums.
The show has a complete lockout, so don’t be late because once the train leaves the station there’s no late comers or stepping out.
In 2024 we said Owen Hasluck and his Yirra Yaakin costar Tyren Maclou were phenomenal acting talent, and Hasluck is keeping that crown this year too. Interestingly Maclou is the understudy for this production, I’d love to see what he does with this role too!
Blue is playing at the Studio Underground at the State Theatre Centre for Black Swan State Theatre Company until Sunday 8th June. Tickets are on sale now.
