The Scramble

Shaun Johnston

Two guys, donning their training gear, hit the stage with scrappy energy, hugging and shoving, twisting and tussling. THE SCRAMBLE wrestles with male intimacy, as two men thud chest to chest in a strained duet. Their bodies crash into each other in a whirlwind of limbs that tears across the stage and all over the floor. They squeeze and strain in a messy tangle, until they stop, breath, and let the remaining knot soften.

After some heavy breathing, they help each other up and start again. Created by Shaun Johnston in collaboration with Luther Wilson and Nathan Turtur, this work is a rough-and-tumble celebration of the complex ways men connect through touch.

Reviews

“There is no spoken dialogue in The Scramble. The relationship between the men is expressed through the choreography, which was some of the most impressive that I’ve ever seen. The performances by Wilson and Turtur were just phenomenal.” – Marisa Quinn-Haisu, Weekend Notes

“The Scramble is both a technical and emotional triumph. The performers’ dedication to a movement language that fuses wrestling with theatre and contemporary dance is sublime. They slam into each other with ferocity, yet flow seamlessly into moments of expansiveness and fluidity.” – Sarah Chaffey, Seesaw Magazine

“Poetry in motion. Genuinely one of the best shows I have ever seen. Phenomenal strength. Incredible artistry.” – Anonymous audience member

Technical

Venue Format
Black box

Touring Party Size

4

Location

Perth Metro

Available to Tour

From 1st October 2026

Artforms

Ballet and Dance
Circus and Physical Theatre

Audience

Adults - General
LGBTQIA+ People
Men
People in Regional/Remote Areas
Young Adults

Duration

55 minutes

Get In

16 hour/s

Get Out

8 hour/s

Costs

Remount Cost: $10 - 15k
Weekly Fee: $5 - 10k
Per Performance Fee: To be determined
Royalties: 10%

Company Contacts

Contact Name:

Shaun

Johnston

Email: shaun.r.johnston@gmail.com
Phone: 0498091057

Company Bio

Shaun presented THE SCRAMBLE in 2025 with STRUT Dance & The Blue Room Theatre (TBRT), which was nominated for multiple PAWAs and won TBRT’s Best Performance award. Shaun starred in the multi-award-winning FAG/STAG (2025) by The Last Great Hunt, presenting at STC of WA before touring regionally; he performed in & devised PAWA-nominated Passports (2025) by Undercurrent Theatre Company. Shaun has toured across Australia with Spare Parts Puppet Theatre since 2020, notably their regional school tours of Blueback (2023) and Hare Brain (2020). Shaun is a WAAPA graduate, where he received his BPA (Performance-Making, 2019) and a First Class Honours in Dance (2022).