May 29

May 29 THEATRE REVIEW: "Blue" wades through grief with heart and ingenuity

Underneath the State Theatre Centre, a man, almost grown, receives a letter that sweeps through his life like a tidal wave.

How do you make sense of a life pummeled by love and loss?

Blue, the latest production by Black Swan State Theatre, asks us to plunge, heart-first, into this question.

The solo theatre show often faces an inherent challenge: How do you engage an audience without the dynamic energy of an ensemble cast? Blue responds with a generous dose of heart and ingenuity.

The piece rests entirely on the shoulders of its sole performer, WAAPA alum Owen Hasluck, who plays Mark, a young man whose life is thrown into chaos due to the death of a close family member. He invites us to weather the chaos with him, as he takes us on an immersive voyage of grief, loss, and growing up through it all.

While the story doesn’t necessarily offer a radical new take on these classic themes, it’s the way it is told that feels inventive. Guided by a contemplative and heartfelt script by Thomas Weatherall, director Ian Wilkes weaves together all elements of the production, from the stirring sound design by musician-composer Jarred Wall (Boox Kid), to the deceptively dynamic on-stage props (shout-out to set designer Cherish Marrington), to deliver a tale that grips our hearts and doesn’t let go.

A key highlight of the show is Hasluck’s passionate and wildly energetic physical performance throughout the entire piece. He moves gracefully, dancing cleverly between the shapeshifting props in a way that feels both fluid and captivating. We ache with him, our eyes transfixed, as he carries the weight of Mark’s heartbreak and pain across the stage.

Another standout element is the use of two revolving mirrors, which Hasluck pushes, spins, and interacts with throughout the play. They create a kind of visual magic more often associated with cinema, evoking the sensation of montage, of cutting between flashbacks in our mind’s eye. It’s this beautiful tightrope between Hasluck’s earnest movements and the vivid, responsive staging that makes Blue’s story feel so alive.

And it’s not always heavy. For a play that explores such weighty themes, Weatherall carves out space for moments of levity, which makes the tragedy hit even harder. He peppers in very relatable experiences of growing up and trying to make sense of a world that often feels so indifferent and unfair.

Blue anchors its huge emotions in a deeply personal story, and that’s what makes it hit home.