Queensland Theatre’s award-winning Drizzle Boy is set to stun audiences near and far as it tours the regions this October and November – following the story-making history in 2023 by debuting Australia’s first-ever neurodivergent character portrayed by a neurodivergent actor on a mainstage.
Written by neurodivergent playwright, Ryan Enniss, and directed Queensland Theatre’s Associate Artistic Director (Programming) and three-time Matilda Award winner, Daniel Evans (The Almighty Sometimes, Vietgone, Medea), the production first shot to success being named the winner of the Queensland Premier’s Drama Award 2022-3.
In its 2023 mainstage premiere, the smash-hit production then took home two Matilda awards (Best Mainstage Production, Best Direction) with judges claiming the story marked a ‘ground-breaking moment in Australian theatre’.
Queensland Theatre will now take the show on tour to provide diverse stories and accessible arts to more communities across the country, stopping at seven locations across the East Coast, kicking off in Caloundra (18 October) and finishing in Redlands (21 November).
The story follows a young, autistic boy as he embarks on his journey into adulthood and manhood taking back his story from a world of misunderstanding with irreverence and audacity.
As a biting satire that blends magical realism with a Kafkaesque journey of self-discovery, the story follows the titular Drizzle Boy, portrayed by Daniel R Nixon (A Chorus Line, On The Town), in his first weeks at university as his parents, portrayed by Judy Hainsworth (Fourteen, The Twits) and Anthony Gooley (Bernhardt/Hamlet, Boy Swallows Universe), adapt to his burgeoning independence and even his first love.
Taking its name from the 1987 film Rain Man (starring neurotypical actor Dustin Hoffman as an autistic person), Drizzle Boy is a write back against the film and the idea that other people can speak for or play autistic people, which director Daniel Evans said led them to look at authentic casting as a non negotiable.
“There’s no such thing as the universal experience – everyone is made up of a multitude of experiences – and for people who are neurodivergent those experiences are vast, sometimes painful and complex, but equally beautiful,” said Evans.
“When you work with someone who is neurodivergent, that lends the story and experience far more credibility and authenticity but also power,” he said. “Drizzle Boy is an anthem for anyone who’s ever felt different or ever been made to feel like they don’t belong in this world.”
“It’s a work for people with autism, for people who are neurodivergent, not just in terms of the audience but for the artists alike, and it’s an important story for us to share with as many Australians as possible.”
Drawing on his own lived experience, Daniel R. Nixon is excited to be once again picking up the torch and sparking important conversations with a wider audience. “If you want to tell a story like this, it can only really happen through expression of authenticity,” he said.
“In recent times, a lot of stories have been told but always through the perspective of a neurotypical lens and then often being performed by actors who don’t share the same lived experiences. So as a result, we see an interpretation and exaggeration.”
“When you talk about a sensory experience or accessibility in theatre, it’s often a secondary layer, a relaxed viewing or Auslan interpretation – they often come at the end of the process. However, Ryan has written a script that incorporates some of those sensory experiences within the play.”
“If you’re someone who is sensitive to sound and light, all of that has been taken into consideration and you’ll still get a theatrical experience without feeling like we’ve removed things in order to cater for people with sensitivities. So, everybody in the audience feels comfortable!” said Nixon.
Director: Daniel Evans | Featuring: Anthony Gooley, Judy Hainsworth, Daniel R. Nixon | Designer: Christina Smith | Composer/Sound Designer: Guy Webster | Lighting Designer: Matt Scott | Video Designer: Nevin Howell | Associate Designer: Madeleine Barlow | Lighting Associate: Christine Felmingham | Stage Manager: Maddison Penglis | Assistant Stage Manager: Tia-Hanee Cleary | Assistant Stage Manager/Dresser: Georgia Gould | Choreographer: Dan Venz | Dialect Coach: Gabrielle Rogers | Playwright: Ryan Enniss
Drizzle Boy will play at the following locations: Caloundra (18 October), Bundaberg (23 October), Proserpine (26 October), Townsville (1 November), Cairns (8 November), Canberra (13 – 16 November) and Redlands (21 November). For more information, visit: www.queenslandtheatre.com.au for details.
Image: Daniel R Nixon stars in Drizzle Boy (supplied)