Overview
Not every city gets its own book filled with love stories from locals that's penned by one of its best-known and beloved authors and journalists. Thanks to Trent Dalton's Love Stories, however, Brisbane boasts exactly that. It was back in 2021 that the Boy Swallows Universe scribe spent two months on the corner of Adelaide and Albert streets in Brisbane's CBD, Olivetti typewriter in hand, asking folks walking by for their romantic tales. His question: "can you please tell me a love story?".
Those yarns came to the page via his 2022 Indie Book Awards Book of the Year-winner, and they're also destined to hit the stage during Brisbane Festival 2024 thanks to a theatre production of the same name. Dalton's writing career is filled with affection for Brisbane — as evidenced, of course, in Boy Swallows Universe on the page, stage and screen — and he isn't done showing it while collecting tender tales from his fellow Brisbanites. Also for Brisbane Festival, he's asking for love stories again.
Andie Dittman
Dalton is Museum of Brisbane's next artist in residence, and there's two parts to it, both of which want you to share your tales. From Friday, August 30–Sunday, September 29, 2024, Write Your Heart Out will take over the Brisbane City Hall site, getting visitors to add their love letters across the month. Dalton is still busting out his Olivetti, too, popping up in King George Square taking place from 12–2pm on Friday, September 6 with fellow writers to take down love stories from passersby.
Taking tales from the public will also serve as a part of a mentoring session, with Dalton imparting advice on interviewing skills to the group of emerging writers that'll be assisting in an intensive workshop.
Andie Dittman
Dalton and the Write Your Heart Out residency is looking for all kinds of love stories, whether about first loves, loves that got away, long-running loves or anything in-between. If you're keen to pen your own rather than tell it to Dalton and his team directly, you'll be able to sit down and write at MoB.
Either before or afterwards, if you're also keen to see what Love Stories looks like treading the boards, it's running at QPAC from Sunday, September 8–Sunday, September 29. Jason Klarwein plays a writer and husband, while Michala Banas is his wife. They're both based on Dalton and his wife Fiona Franzmann, who each contributed extra material to the script by Tim McGarry. And yes, the production does indeed set its scene from the corner of Adelaide and Albert streets.
Andie Dittman
Trent Dalton and Franzmann. Image: Lyndon Mechielsen.
Write Your Heart Out takes over Museum of Brisbane, Level 3, Brisbane City Hall, 64 Adelaide Street, Brisbane, from Friday, August 30–Sunday, September 29, 2024 — with its pop-up event in King George Square taking place from 12–2pm on Friday, September 6. Head to the venue's website for more details.
Love Stories will play the QPAC Playhouse, South Brisbane, from Tuesday, September 10–Sunday, September 29, 2024 as part of Brisbane Festival. Head to the venue's website for tickets and further details.
Top image: David Kelly.