Son of Byblos - Australian Pride Network

Following a sold-out debut season at Sydney’s Belvoir St Theatre, Son of Byblos by award-winning playwright James Elazzi will play at North Melbourne’s Meat Market Stables for a limited season from 4 September 2025.

Set in the heart of a Lebanese Australian household, the play follows Adam, a young gay man caught between loyalty and liberation, as he navigates a world bound by family duty and cultural shame.

When his cousin Claire announces she’s marrying a man to hide her own queerness, Adam is forced to confront everything he has tried to suppress about himself and everything his family refuses to see.

What unfolds is an emotionally raw, unflinchingly honest portrait of a family caught between love and denial, between history and hope. Through raw dialogue, biting humour and moments of devastating stillness, Son of Byblos asks what we are willing to risk in order to be ourselves.

Shortlisted for the 2023 NSW Premier’s Literary Award and New Theatre’s 2019 Silver Gull Award, this bold and emotionally charged family drama explores culture, silence, identity and the cost of living your truth.

Elazzi’s most personal work to date, Son of Byblos continues his legacy of telling stories rarely seen on Australian stages. Stories of queer Arab identity, of inherited silence and of the love that survives in the most unexpected places.

Directed by Danny R Arif, Son of Byblos features a powerhouse ensemble of performers at the height of their craft including Amir Rahimzadeh (The Height’s, The Code), Marjan Mesbahi (English), Steffi Gil (Wentworth, Neighbours, La Brea), Amir Yacoub (Dogfight) and Anna Kaleeda Rasheed (All the Rest, Midnight Carousel).

“We spend our lives climbing up the mountain to discover who we are, only to realize at the summit that we knew all along, we were just too scared to open up or to look that deep,” says director Danny R Arif.

This production also marks a significant moment for the newly renamed Asamina Theatre Company, formerly known as Thespian Theatre Company. The name Asamina means “our names” in Arabic, a powerful affirmation of identity, belonging and representation. It speaks to the company’s belief that every name carries a story and every story deserves to be heard.

The rebrand reflects Asamina’s deepening commitment to authentic, inclusive and courageous storytelling. With a focus on multicultural and multilingual narratives, Asamina champions work that reflects the true diversity of contemporary Australia, giving voice to communities too often side-lined and creating space for stories that challenge, connect and inspire.

“Ambiguous, provocative and emotionally complex. It resists the urge to offer easy answers and instead demands we sit with the discomfort of truth.” – Theatre Red