No Love Songs: Review
- Victoria Luxton (she/her)
- Mar 15
- 2 min read
The new Foundry space at Sydney Lyric is a fantastic addition to the city’s theatre scene. The venue was full, vibrant, and buzzing with excitement—proof that Sydney audiences are eager for fresh, compelling theatre. No Love Songs was the perfect production to bring a different kind of crowd to a venue typically known for large-scale musicals, proving that intimate, contemporary storytelling has a place here.
Inspired by the real-life experiences of Kyle Falconer and Laura Wilde, No Love Songs delivers a powerful, hard-hitting narrative on love, parenthood, and the emotional toll of ambition. Falconer’s rock songs are reimagined with stunning theatricality, creating a raw, immersive experience that hits close to home for many. The open set, designed by Leila Kalbassi, mirrored the stripped-back, concert-like aesthetic, with tour cases scattered across the stage—perfectly capturing Jessie’s world as a musician.
At its core, No Love Songs is a story about two people—Jessie and Lana—who are undeniably drawn to each other, but whether they are truly meant to be together remains an open question. Their love story begins like so many others: a fresh-faced young woman in a bar, instantly captivated by the allure of a guitarist on stage. What starts as infatuation quickly deepens into a long-term relationship, but as life’s challenges mount—particularly the arrival of a child—the cracks in their partnership become impossible to ignore. While their connection is built on passion and chemistry, the question lingers: is that enough? Does attraction translate into a strong foundation for a life together?
Lucy Maunder delivered a stunning performance as Lana, bringing a rare truth and grit to the role, as she so often does. Her portrayal of a woman struggling through postnatal depression, abandonment, and the complexities of love was both heartbreaking and deeply relatable. Jessie’s journey as an artist propels him forward, while Lana is left behind to navigate new motherhood alone, highlighting the stark contrast between their individual experiences.
One minor flaw in the storyline stood out—Jessie writing Lana a song seemed to serve as a form of redemption for the months he left her alone with their newborn.
While Sydney audiences appeared to embrace this resolution, rewarding the show with a standing ovation, it did leave a question mark over whether this act truly balanced out the weight of Lana’s struggles.
Despite this, the book (co-written by Wilde and Johnny McKnight) was heartfelt and did an excellent job of driving the story forward. The production’s strong creative team, including co-directors Andrew Panton and Tashi Gore, delivered a show that was both theatrical and emotionally charged. Gavin Whitworth’s arrangements and Mark Chamberlain’s musical direction brought Falconer’s songs to life with remarkable depth.
It was heartening to see such a mixed audience, spanning generations, visibly moved— tears were wiped, faces were stunned, and the emotional weight of the story lingered well after the final bow. No Love Songs is an exhilarating addition to Sydney’s theatre landscape, and if The Foundry continues to host productions of this calibre, it has the potential to become a vital part of the city’s cultural fabric. We need this kind of theatre in Sydney, and we need it to thrive.
