If Adelaide is ever in the middle of a talent drought, it’s likely because Oliver John has hoarded it all for his latest production. Hyperbole, perhaps, but John has assembled an incredible group of emerging performers for an encore production of Love is a Game: An Adele Song Cycle.

Love is a Game tells the story of three friends and their journeys through romantic, queer, platonic, and self-love. Told through Adele's music, John and Sienna Bertram have crafted three interwoven stories familiar to anyone with an overly dramatic friendship group – When We Were Young(er) perhaps. The show explores the cycle of heartbreak: picking up at the club, confessing feelings to a friend who doesn't return them, and the sting of a proposal gone wrong. It all leads to a poignant finale – standing as a best man while your lost love serves as bridesmaid – before the closing title track.

---

The three-piece band was well rehearsed and tight throughout the show. With Raff Raschella on keys, Ben Waller on drums and Mat Hawke (also a cast member) on guitars and bass; together they produced a full sound for John’s arrangements that allowed the ensemble to feel grounded. The arrangements for all 14 songs – plus the encore medley – are complex enough for a well-trained ear while not being overly indulgent. They have been written to amplify the stories being played out on stage.

Love is a Game: An Adele Song Cycle showcases Oliver John’s innate understanding of the theatrical heart within Adele’s discography. He has mastered the art of the song cycle; now, I am eager to see him graduate from reimagining a superstar’s hits to crafting a story that is entirely his own.