Trent Dalton’s Love Stories bringing humanity and hope to the stage

Posted on 10 September, 2025

The smash-hit stage adaptation of Trent Dalton’s Love Stories will make its much-anticipated debut in Canberra this month.

And a familiar local thespian will be part of the ensemble cast. Canberra’s own Will Tran joins nine other talented performers starring in the smash-hit stage adaptation, which arrives in the capital for a strictly limited run.

Trent is best known for his semi-autobiographical novel Boy Swallows Universe (which has since been adapted for the stage and into a hit Netflix series) but turned to the streets of his hometown, Brisbane, as the inspiration for Love Stories. Parked on a busy street corner with a typewriter atop a fold-out table, the author spent two months asking people from all walks of life the simple question: “Can you please tell me a love story?”.

The result was an honest exploration of love in all its forms and the many relationships –  including and beyond the romantic – that we all share and hold so dear as human beings.

Love Stories will make its way to Canberra for a strictly limited season following its original sold-out debut in Brisbane last year, which played to more than 20,000 people.

Trent said he’s looking forward to the show taking to the stage in Canberra after being “bombarded daily with people sliding into my DMs, asking when Love Stories is coming to their neck of the woods”.

“The real-life people who told these stories came from all corners of Australia and it’s to all corners of this country that we’re trying to reach with this remarkable stage play.”

“The show reaches into your soul and doesn’t let it go for 100 minutes of aching, rib-tickling, heart-breaking, heart-restoring love-filled theatre. You drive home being reminded of all that is wondrous in this life. All that is wondrous about love,” he says.

For anyone who has not read the book, it won’t detract from being able to experience this raw and emotional journey through love. But if you have, you’re guaranteed to relish the opportunity to witness these incredible stories come to life in this theatrically stunning production.

Adapted by Tim McGarry, with additional writing and story by Trent and Fiona Franzmann and directed by Sam Strong, this  production weaves together the love stories collected on the streets with Trent’s own love story for his wife, Fiona.

Alex Budd, Canberra Theatre Centre Director, is excited for the show, saying, “Trent Dalton is one of Australia’s most beloved authors and I’m really looking forward to bringing his best-selling work Love Stories to new life, on stage for audiences in Canberra”.

Unapologetically sentimental, Love Stories delivers exactly what its title promises.

For Will, the chance to appear in such a wholesome and hopeful production is a dream come true.

Working as an actor, presenter, dancer and model for the past 17 years, Will is no stranger to the stage, but he’s probably most recognisable for his role off-screen where he works at the National Zoo and Aquarium and Jamala Wildlife Lodge when not performing.

For Canberra-based actors, it is not often there are opportunities to take part in large-scale touring productions such as this.

“Most of my work takes place interstate, so to be on stage at the Canberra Theatre for something so special is actually a dream come true.”

Will will also travel with the production on its current tour of Australia and New Zealand, also making stops in Sydney, Darwin, Gold Coast and Auckland.

More accustomed to encouraging locals to come and see the wildlife who happily call Canberra Zoo and Aquarium home, Will says this show is a wonderful “gateway into what good theatre can be.”

“It has humour and heart and a familiarity about it while telling authentic Australian stories through the words of a celebrated Australian author. I could not be more proud.”

Images by David Kelly