The Black Swan Theatre Company presented Day (After Day) in the Life of the Useless to a packed audience at the State Theatre Centre of WA for its opening night. Written by Will O’Mahony, who also takes the central role of Pete, the play portrays an unsettling portrait of a man whose life rapidly spirals after his fiancée leaves him.
Pete’s romantic loss is only the beginning. He soon loses his job and, with his finances deteriorating, becomes trapped in a succession of increasingly difficult situations as he scrambles to find enough money to stay afloat. What begins as a personal crisis develops into a broader examination of insecurity, isolation and the ease with which an ordinary life can collapse. Along the way the audience is introduced to several eccentric and quirky characters bringing humour to the play.
The play’s title captures the repetitive nature of Pete’s struggle. Each day brings another disappointment, another crisis. Whilst Pete’s fears of abandonment, unemployment and financial instability are recognisable and relatable, some of the unfortunate situations Pete finds himself however, I found a bit far-fetched. Nevertheless, it’s his poor decisions which accumulates in his downfall.
Intertwined in the narrative is the involvement of AI. Just after being dumped, Pete does what many people do and turns to AI for advice. Its response is “the best revenge is living well” which Pete desperately tries to do but ends up going in the opposite direction. I wasn’t exactly sure whether AI had more to do with the story. There were times when I was expecting there to be a twist and that perhaps a character would reveal itself to be a robot. Instead, the relevance of AI to the story has to do with Pete’s feeling of worthlessness. If AI can do the work of humans, faster and cheaper, then what use is there for humans?
The story is told through a series of fast-paced chapters, 38 in total. Each chapter is a different scene, and each is presented literally on a giant digital billboard screen on stage. The climax I found a little confusing wondering whether the scene being played was real or Pete’s imagination.
Nathaniel Langworthy, Steve Le Marquand, Tess Bowers and Catherine Moore each take on multiple roles throughout the play, moving between an assortment of colourful characters who populate Pete’s increasingly chaotic world. By contrast, Will O’Mahony remains as Pete. All five performances were accomplished and engaging, and the cast’s work was warmly received by the opening-night audience.
Day (After Day) in the Life of the Useless runs for 1 hour and 45 minutes without an interval which I was quite glad it didn’t have as it would have broken the play’s fast-paced momentum. It is a darkly humorous account of a man struggling to regain control of his life.
To book tickets to Day (After Day) In The Life Of The Useless, please visit https://blackswantheatre.com.au/season-2026/day-after-day-in-the-life-of-the-useless
.
Photographer: Daniel J Grant
