JOY Drive

10 May 2023

Stage Premiere of “Loaded” – Chris Tsiolkas’ debut novel

Performing Arts

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 takes the mainstage with director Stephen Nicolazzo (Looking for Alibrandi) joining writers Dan Giovannoni and Christos Tsiolkas (Merciless Gods) to present Ari’s anarchic odyssey that sees him travel the four corners of Melbourne.

We chat to the Director – Stephen Nicolazzo.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 8:13 — 11.3MB)

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11 Jan 2026

Dr Sam Arnold: Autistic Burnout

Health, Mental Health, Psychology, Social Sciences, Society & Culture

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Associate Professor Lauren Rosewarne: Why Libraries Are Booming Again

Literature, Popular Culture, Society & Culture

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Tomáš Kantor: SUGAR at the 2026 Midsumma Festival

Arts, LGBTIQA+ Community, Performing Arts, Popular Culture, Society & Culture

SUGAR is a bold one-person show about desire, money and pop culture fantasies, where glamour and pop songs sit alongside ...