Boy Swallows Stage: Trent Dalton’s book to make theatre debut

Audiences will finally have the chance to see award-winning novelist Trent Dalton’s debut book Boy Swallows Universe on stage in August.

Playwright Tim McGarry, left, and author Trent Dalton on the set of the stage version of Dalton’s best-selling book Boy Swallows Universe. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Watching the novel Boy Swallows Universe come to life on stage is like deja vu for best-selling author Trent Dalton, who took inspiration for his award-winning book from his childhood as a housing commission kid in Brisbane’s northern suburbs.

The simple nostalgia of life in Brisbane through the throes of the 1980s and the story of a young boy growing up and looking to be loved captured the imagination of readers worldwide.

Now, the theatre production of the tale is slated to premiere at Brisbane’s Queensland Performing Arts Centre in August.

“My life is on that stage. It’s gonna be surreal,” said Dalton, who also writes for The Weekend Australian Magazine.

“I’ve watched them do readings and I’ve watched them designing Bracken Ridge, designing my home, this shoebox housing commission brown brick home that I grew up in.

“I got to sit in on a table read ­really early on and this actress was doing this particularly harrowing scene involving the mum inside Boggo Road Women’s Prison and it comes from real-world stuff.

“She is essentially playing this figure inspired by my own mum and I just started quietly weeping.”

Following a cancelled run of the play last year due to the pandemic restrictions, audiences will finally get to see the show from August 30 — a date that coincides with the city’s annual Brisbane Festival.

Given Boy Swallows Universe’s strong roots in Brisbane suburbia, Sydney-based playwright Tim McGarry is feeling ­additional pressure after taking on the responsibility of bringing the story from page to stage.

“I’m feeling a little bit exhilarated at this point because it just screams out for theatre production,” he said.

“The story is so evocative and so dramatic.”

The playwright initially began working on the project before the book was even available to the public, having received an advance copy from the publisher HarperCollins.

McGarry visited key places within the story — Boggo Road Prison, Brisbane City Hall Clock Tower and the suburb of Darra, west of Brisbane — to immerse himself in the story before beginning to write. He also met with Dalton and the show’s director Sam Strong early on in the production for guidance.

“One of the big things I feel very strongly about is that the ­author has to be involved … if they want to be,” McGarry said.

“These characters are his family and his friends and his parents, so I was thrilled that Trent was very keen to be involved.”

QPAC chief executive John Kotzas said the local production would feature a slew of Queensland talent, highlighting the creative power of the Sunshine State.

Boy Swallows Universe will play at the Playhouse Theatre at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre from August 30 to September 18. Tickets go on sale at 9am on Tuesday April 27.