Loaded

Almost 30 years ago, Christos Tsiolkas’ debut novel Loaded painted a portrait of a young man who is restlessly searching for himself in opposing worlds. To this day, the story resonates with migrant and queer communities as a reminder that you are not alone.

Ari (Danny Ball, A Beginner’s Guide to Grief) is 19 and unemployed—he doesn’t want to be gay and he doesn’t want to be Greek. He doesn’t want to be anything. Drawn by the alluring pulse of Collingwood’s gay clubs, he finds an escape, and a family in the form of drag queens and one-night stands.

First adapted as the award-winning 1998 film Head On, then reimagined as an audio adaptation in 2020, Loaded finally takes the mainstage with director Stephen Nicolazzo (Looking for Alibrandi) joining writers Dan Giovannoni and Christos Tsiolkas (The Slap, Merciless Gods) to present Ari’s anarchic odyssey that sees him travel the four corners of Melbourne.

Honest, raw, and passionate—a lot can happen in a sweaty night at The Peel.

"Loaded is...a fascinating artefact of a Melbourne that is irretrievably evolving"
— ArtsHub

"Stephen Nicolazzo's direction is precise, thoughtful and fearless."
— Theatre First

"Simultaneously frightening and soulful."
— The Guardian

"[Danny Ball’s] performance [is] pulsing with self-loathing, self-doubt and an implosive, masculine energy that is both angry and sensual."
— Limelight