In his 2021 book Dear Son, Thomas Mayo writes that “within each page we indigenous men have built a vessel. …. With the strength of our ancestors we pull the oars of truth against a tide of ignorance and toxic masculinity.” He entreats others indigenous and non-indigenous to ‘take up an oar of truth with us – to go on a voyage to a better future’.
The play adaptation of Dear Son produced by Queensland Theatre Co. and State Theatre Company South Australia is currently on at the Belvoir St Theatre as part of the Sydney Festival. Isaac Drandic (Director) and John Harvey adapted this book of letters written by Aboriginal and Torres-Strait Islander men to their sons or fathers for stage. Among the 13 letter writers were some high profile well known names such as Stan Grant, Troy Cassar-Daley, Joe Williams and Blak Douglas.
Rather than a series of standalone monologues, a three act play is fashioned from five men hanging around a beach-side barbecue area with a campfire yarning to each other. Early in the play, the environment is made accessible across cultures when the BBQ cook wryly reassures the others that despite meat being cooked, “I’ve got all your totem dietary requirements.”
Each of the actors is given two or three letters to convey. The letters are not attributed to the writer. The cast of five indigenous actors vary in age, country and level of acting experience. Crowd favourite Aaron Pedersen, returning to the cast at short notice, was relaxed on stage and glad to convey the important messages. Jimi Bani’s strong presence ensured focus and clarity. Kirk Page followed through with sincerity and importance. The less experienced actors added a youthful blend with Waangenga Blanco (also the choreographer)’s ease of movement and Tibian Wyles’s beautiful singing, guitar playing and comic flair.
The letters cover shame, longing, love, guilt, apprehension, anger and regret against a background and history of racism, violence and love. Several stories involve the dehumanisation through some government policies plus negative depiction in the media.
Highlights included the humorous bike ride from Melbourne to Darwin, replete with two bikes and the outback scenery motion reel backdrop plus a twangy musical sound track. There was a bitter-sweet telling of the efforts of Jack Latimore navigating his way to reach an uncle in hospital before he died. Darker periods were depicted with reference to Don Dale Youth Detention Centre. When a published cartoon indicated that the fathers were unworthy, Bayliss replied and sparked a viral movement known as #IndigenousDads with thousands of people posting photos celebrating Indigenous fathers.
Female characters appeared only twice, once as an angel in a love story and another as a frightened resident when the men accidentally enter the wrong address. Both were played by the actors dressed in costume.
Rounding out the dramatisation of the book is the simple set with projections of writing including a cacophony of name calling insults, and photographs. All the designers definitely added dimension to the production. They included Craig Wilkinson (video designer) and Will Hughes (composer and sound designer)
Like a postscript to the book, and breaking through the fourth wall, is a final reveal of each actor telling one of their own stories and hopes for the future. Unlike previously, their names are attributed and family photographs are shown. It showed that irrespective of how well or little known you may be, and whatever your age, no one’s story is trivial. It was the consistency of sentiment and the journey as we “pull the oars of truth against the tide of ignorance and toxic masculinity” that ensured that the important messages reached the audience. Some previous audience members of the show had been moved to reconnect with their estranged fathers and sons.
DEAR SON is playing upstairs at Belvoir Street theatre until the 25th January 2026.
Production photography by Stephen Wilson Barker.
