Review by Markus Hamence – Performance date: Thursday 31 July 2025, The Odeon, Norwood, South Australia
A Tender, Truth-Telling Triumph of First Nations Storytelling
Odeon Theatre, Adelaide | Presented by State Theatre Company South Australia
Well friends, bring a tissue, a mate, and possibly a family therapist – direct from Queensland, Dear Son has landed in Adelaide, and it’s not mucking about. This beautifully grounded, emotionally raw stage piece is part love letter, part cultural reckoning, and all heart. Adapted from Thomas Mayo’s 2021 book of the same name, this production pulls no punches while wrapping you in a warm (and occasionally tear-soaked) cultural embrace.
“It’s not just acting – it’s ancestral, lived-in, almost ceremonial…”
– Markus Hamence
Letters That Linger
Based on real letters from First Nations fathers and sons, Dear Son could have easily been a string of solemn monologues -but thankfully, that’s not what we get. Instead, co-adaptors Isaac Drandic and John Harvey give us something rich and theatrical. This is not just reading – it’s reliving. The show unfolds like a gathering, a cook-up, a sacred circle where men talk, laugh, cry, and pass the stories down.
You’ll see a cast of First Nations legends – Jimi Bani, Waangenga Blanco, Tibian Wyles, Kirk Page and Aaron Pedersen – rotate through voices, ages and eras. Each brings a unique rhythm, gravitas, and intimacy that makes you feel like you’ve been invited into something precious. And in true Aussie fashion, humour is never far behind the heartbreak.
Let’s talk cast – because this ensemble doesn’t just perform, they embody. Jimi Bani brings gravitas and groundedness; Tibian Wyles flicks effortlessly between wit and weight; Waangenga Blanco’s physicality is breathtaking, like poetry in motion; Kirk Page gives us emotional depth you can feel in your bones; and Aaron Pedersen? That voice could shatter and soothe in a single breath. Each performer slips between roles with clarity and care, holding the stage with the kind of quiet power that speaks volumes. It’s not just acting – it’s ancestral, lived-in, almost ceremonial. You don’t watch this cast… you witness them. Credit.
“There’s dance, projection, and the kind of music that settles into your chest and stays there…” – Markus Hamence
Stagecraft with Soul
Design-wise, it’s giving ‘outback kitchen meets spiritual dreamscape’. A sandy raised stage, a fire-pit, a shelter roof – it all says ‘gather round’. And while the physical set is minimalist, the emotional texture is anything but. Lighting shifts from warm to haunting. Sound design sweeps us from bushland serenity to gut-punching truths. There’s dance, projection, and the kind of music that settles into your chest and stays there.
Themes That Hit Home
This is a show about Indigenous men, but it’s not just for Indigenous audiences. It’s for sons who never heard ‘I love you’, for fathers who didn’t know how to say it, for anyone navigating masculinity, culture, and legacy. The letters reveal deep truths about trauma, resilience, and hope – without slipping into cliché or sentimentality.
And in true First Nations style, it balances pain with healing. These aren’t just stories of loss and longing – they’re calls to action, to listening, to love. One minute you’re giggling over a cheeky anecdote, the next you’re holding your breath as someone describes the sting of racism, silence, or separation.
Final Thoughts
If you like your theatre raw, poetic and resonant – Dear Son is your new favourite. Not just a performance, it’s an invitation: to feel more, hear more, be more. And honestly? Adelaide is lucky to have it.
On Your Markus rating:
Bring your dad. Bring your son. Or just bring yourself. This one’s for the soul.
Dear Son
26 July – 16 August 2025
The Odeon Theatre
Tickets: https://statetheatrecompany.com.au/shows/dear-son/
