Type – Indigenous stories, Australian History, Family connections,
If you liked – At What Cost, Stolen, Fences
DEAR SON: Showing masculinity in a loving, trusting space – one ready for difficult conversations; a space Dear Son is urging to become the norm
In the burnt orange light of the early evening, five men sit around a campfire, beginning an interweaving journey through life-changing stories, returning always to the ever-present love and gratitude they hold for their fathers and sons. Dear Son is based on the book by Thomas Mayo, a series of twelve Letters from First Nations Fathers and Sons.
Kevin O’Brien’s set design is instantly evocative. The floor is covered with sand, allowing for beautiful movement. Instant rivulets and markings form as the men dance, retell their histories, and grieve. There is a cooking station to one side, where Jimi Bani’s characters often go to prepare the meal for the other men, happily breaking the better-known toxic masculinity protocols all the way through, and inviting his compatriots into the lesser-known but far more desirable space where one can be free to eat a veggie burger, help him with the salad, lovingly calling his favourite dish a “Bush Tuck-o”, but most importantly share love with each other and be vulnerable. “There is enormous strength in being vulnerable.”
Stepping in for Luke Carroll who was ill, Aaron Pederson walks into the middle of the space, moving away from the group slightly. He exhales and begins with obvious discomfort, detailing the painful breakup with his partner and of losing his children. He trusts his friends, they readily support and listen in a loving, trusting space, one ready for difficult conversations. A space Dear Son is urging to become the norm.
Historic culture brought to life
Knowledge and history overflow constantly from all corners of the stage. The dances stamped out on the ground, the full-bodied calls made in Wiradjuri, Palawa Kani, and Kulkalgal. Details emerge of families and their relatives’ experiences with racism, rape, and dispossession. The commonality of these stories is poignantly highlighted with black print stamped across the actors faces, print from articles filled with racist words, discriminatory language and dangerous stereotypes repeated over and over.
The words in the letters are spoken with a weight and matter-of-factness: Truths to be told with no space for mincing of words. “The black pools of history.” But these men are soft and supple, moving through the space with ease and warmth, bouncing between characters with fluidity and continually giving light-hearted joy amidst the retellings of suffering. The deeply moving scene between Kirk Page’s character and his son create the most gorgeous and tender moments in the production.
There is satisfyingly easy and fun storytelling throughout; at one point Tibian Wyles and Waangenga Blanco with a mixture of glee and apprehension ride through the country, the cycles propped up on campfire benches as a projector is quickly rolled into the backdrop to simulate a moving landscape. Props are funny and cleverly reused, torches double as walkie talkies, as the cast effortlessly recreate and immerse us in Mayo’s letters.
Is DEAR SON Worth Seeing in SYDNEY?
“Truth telling allows a country to heal.” The warmth exuding from the men onstage suffuses through the theatre, filling the space with an indisputable urge to lean forward, and allows for the harsh truths they tell to be readily taken in. It’s an exceptionally designed and executed work. The form is beautifully done; we are expertly woven into these twelve different stories, with no space for confusion – only a satisfaction in the fluidity and musicality of the production. The beats are so assured and specific that you immediately trust where you are being taken by these magnetic, heartfelt storytellers.
Tickets and Practical Info for DEAR SON in SYDNEY 🎟️
Based on the book by Thomas Mayo, adapted by Isaac Drandic and John Harvey, Directed by Isaac Drandic
Season 8-25 January, 2026
Tickets: https://belvoir.com.au/productions/dear-son/
Cast and Creatives
Cast: Jimi Bani, Waangenga Blanco, Kirk Page, Aaron Pedersen, Tibian Wyles
Director / Co-Adaptor – Isaac Drandic
Co-Adaptor – John Harvey
Set Designer – Kevin O’Brien
Costume Designer – Delvene Cockatoo-Collins
Lighting Designer – David Walters
Video Designer – Craig Wilkinson
Composer and Sound Designer – Wil Hughes
Choreographer and Movement Director – Waangenga Blanco
Associate Lighting Designer – Eben Love
Associate Composer and Sound Designer – Patrick Mau
Assistant Director – Tibian Wyles
Assistant Construction and Set Designer – Liam Maza
AV Realiser – Susie Henderson
Vocal Coach – Marcus Oborn
Stage Manager – Sam Illingworth
Assistant Stage Manager – Thomas Hamilton
