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Love Song Dedications
(without Richard Mercer)

A Bonkers Comedy Lecture about Love Songs
Love Song Dedications (without Richard Mercer) is made in conjunction with the podcast Missing Richard Mercer.

Created by Tom Hogan & Bonnie Leigh-Dodds
Originally presented at PACT, Erskineville (July 2018), and toured nationally in 2021
Green Room Awards 2018 - Nominated for Best Ensemble, and Best Sound Design
Melbourne Fringe Awards 2018 - Nominated for Best Performance


"One of the funniest plays you’ll ever see!”
- Alt Media
Tom Hogan and Bonnie Leigh-Dodds are side-splittingly funny in their hunt for the perfect love song... ★★★★½
- The Age
"The show is hilarious, surprisingly touching and very fast paced..."
- Sydney Arts Guide
"A bonkers and exhilarating romp through the highs and lows of '80s and '90s power ballads, elevator music and hideously awkward encounters with matters of the heart."
- Sydney Morning Herald
"Hogan and Leigh-Dodds are intelligent and effervescent, both youthful specimens, full of beans and big ideas..."
- SuzyGoesSee
"Funny and spirited, it will melt the inhibitions of even the most cynical."
- The Buzz from Syd
"... audiences comment and cheer; we turn to strangers and smile at each other and laugh together on our way out of the venue, strangers no more."
- Sydney Arts Guide
"And the winner? The perfect love song? Wouldn’t dream of telling you."
- Audrey Journal

In 2013, after 17 years of being on air, Richard Mercer left his final Love Song Dedication. It was Trisha Yearwood’s 'How Do I Live (Without You)?' Now, two friends attempt to fill the void that The Love God left behind.

After listening to literally thousands of dedications, as well as too many earnest songs about unrequited love and the greatest love of all, Bonnie and Tom are neck-deep in their quest to find the perfect love song... erm, objectively.

There Can Be Only One.

This devised work promises a night of reassurance, full of songs you are ashamed you know the lyrics to. In a world of post-truths, ironic memes, anti-social media, Love Song Dedications (without Richard Mercer) offers the ultimate therapeutic playlist. Irony will be truly dead, and only one question will hang in the air: “What is love? (Baby don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me, no more...)”




Lighting Design: Emma Lockhart-Wilson
Sound design, set design, script, choreography and everything else: Bonnie Leigh-Dodds & Tom Hogan

2021 Touring Set Design & Build by Lauren Makin & Daniel Murtagh
2021 Tour Coordination by ArtsOnTour

Special Thanks: Sorie Bangura, Nathan Harrison, Carly Young, Jules Patey, Colin Emmerton, Antoinette Barboutis, and APRA’s Jesre Stenson.


2021 Tour - Venues, Dates & Tickets

Theatre Royal, Hobart, TAS - May 27-29
Burnie Arts & Function Centre, TAS - June 1
Bunjil Place, Narre Warren, VIC - June 16
Geelong Arts Centre, VIC - June 18-19
Capital Theatre, Bendigo, VIC - June 23
Whitehorse Centre, Nunawading, VIC - June 25-26
The Wedge, Sale, VIC - June 29
Latrobe Performing Arts Centre, Traralgon, VIC - July 3
West Gippsland Arts Centre, Warragul, VIC - July 6
Swan Hill Town Hall, VIC - July 10
Lighthouse Theatre, Warrnambool, VIC - July 13
Gasworks Arts Park, Melbourne, VIC - July 15-17
Riverside Theatre, Parramatta, NSW - July 20-21
Jetty Memorial Theatre, Coffs Harbour, NSW - July 23
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