In Conversation with Shaun Johnston – The Scramble
In this edition of In Conversation, we shine a light on The Scramble a new show by Shaun Johnston, premiering at The Blue Room Theatre from 28 October – 8 November. The Scramble is about two guys hitting the stage with scrappy energy, hugging and shoving, bonding and tussling. Their bodies crash into each other in a whirlwind of limbs. They squeeze and strain in a messy tangle, until they stop, breath, and let the remaining knot soften. The Scramble is a rough-and-tumble celebration of the complex ways men connect through touch. We caught up with Shaun Johnston to dive into the creative process behind the work and what audiences can expect from this thrilling new production.
What motivated you to apply to be part of The Blue Room Theatre’s 2025 season, and what drew you to this project?
The Scramble has been brewing for a long time. Back in 2022, I finished my Honours thesis exploring how wrestling could mix with dance to mak new forms. Not long after, Nathan, Luther, and I began developing a much shorter version of this work, which we performed as part of The Blue Room’s 600 Seconds program in 2024. Since then, we’ve taken every opportunity we could to push it further. When STRUT offered us a place in their EVOLVE season, it was the green light we needed – from there, it was full steam ahead.
How has the creative journey been so far—from concept development to rehearsals?
Exhilarating, honestly. The weeks spent in the room with Luther and Nate have been among my favourite moments as an artist. We’ve been slowly adding depth to this amalgamation of wrestling and dance we’re creating. Along the way, the themes of the work have started to reveal themselves. Now that we’re days from opening, the journey of the work is shining through. Looking back, I don’t really know how we landed here – but I’m incredibly proud to be on the other side of it, holding this work in our hands.
What has stood out to you during the rehearsal process—any unexpected discoveries or moments of growth?
Wrestling is intense. It was important to me that we treated the form with respect – not just borrow from it, but really embody it. I’ve wrestled on and off since 2019, with a short competitive history, and I wanted the boys to feel the form in their bodies too. One of the things I love most about wrestling is the chaos. Its essence doesn’t want to be contained. It resists choreography. You have to be willing to play the game, step into the unknown, and find yourself in all sorts of strange tangles. Learning how to harness that chaos has been some of the most fun I’ve had as a maker.
How has the collaboration with your cast, crew, and creatives shaped the work and your vision for it?
I’m so incredibly grateful for my team. Having a group of passionate artists to share a vision with feels like such a privilege. Making a full-length show is a behemoth of a task – the work never ends! This work has been built not only in the studio but through phone calls, the constant sharing of wrestling clips on Instagram, and countless coffee chats. In many ways, The Scramble is about connection and support, and I feel the process has totally mirrored that.
Nathan and Luther are all over this work. So much of what we’ve made has come from their intuition and creativity. Wrestling is intense – come watch the show and you’ll see! But that intensity builds trust. You’re constantly checking in, learning how to take care of each other while pushing the limits. Many of the themes in this piece come from my own history in wrestling gyms, testing myself alongside others. And that’s exactly what the three of us have been doing for the last two years.
What does having your show programmed in The Blue Room Season mean to you as a lead creative?
This is my first full-length work as a director and choreographer. Right now, I’m sitting in our theatre at 9PM while Adelaide rigs our lights. I’m looking out at our slick wrestling mat that has been nailed into the floor and won’t budge an inch. Over the last few days, I’ve seen a show that has lived in my head for 2 years, a mess of thoughts, slowly come together. More than anything, I’m so proud to show off what this creative team has achieved.
As you move closer to opening, what are you most excited—or even nervous—about sharing with audiences?
The form we’ve made. It’s new. I’m proud to show it to wrestlers. I’m proud to show it to dancers. I feel that we’ve done our due service to both dance and wrestling to make this.
I am also terrified. This work is so full of my opinions and my tastes. It’s very revealing. All I can say is that I love what we’ve made. While that doesn’t squash my fear, it inspires me not to hide behind them!
What is your show bringing to the Perth arts scene, and what do you think would help strengthen the local arts ecosystem?
Wrestling. Roughness. A kind of physicality I don’t often see explored in performance. In dance, there’s often an emphasis on softness – and that’s beautiful, of course – but there’s another side of expression that I find so moving. The Scramble has its softer side, but there’s no denying the performers are throwing themselves headfirst into the intensity of competitive wrestling.
Image by Andrea Mae