Meet Bev, or Chiko, who, in his own words, is “not the best truckie, just the best looking.” He’s every stereotype of Australian masculinity you could conjure up, from his impressive mullet to his truck-themed stubbies (translation: shorts). Written and performed by Jonny Hawkins, Truck Driver at the Sydney Opera House, is an insight into a world that is largely overlooked, and yet provides a vital service within our economy.
Cleverly orchestrated so that the audience is positioned as a hitch-hiker Bev has picked up on his way to Alice Springs, we are regaled with stories of how he got the nickname “Chiko”, the famous Razorback Blockade of 1979 led by Ted “Greendog” Stevens, where 20,000 truckers across Australia blocked roads and highways to protest poor working conditions and road taxes, and how he met his now ex-wife.
While most of the stories are funny, peppered with quotable lines such as “69 – dinner for two with a terrible view,” there are moments of sombre reflection that seem completely at odds with the character on stage. The recollection of witnessing a car accident where the mother was thrown from the car, her small child a witness to the tragedy, is heartbreaking. The memory of camping with his father for his 13th birthday, where another child sexually assaults him, and his father dismisses it, brings both Bev and the audience to tears.
Truck Driver is a lesson in contrasts. The outward display of a ‘bogan’, the classic ‘Aussie larrikin’, who finds farts funny and says ‘cunt’ a lot, but can speak about the Trojan War and says things like “silence and beauty, that’s peace.” Bev is equally profound and inarticulate in a way that encourages you to look beyond appearances.
Directed by Nell Ranney, Truck Driver addresses issues around the cost of living, the economic impact of bypass roads and the rise of multinational businesses with no local affinity or sense of community. With truck drivers facing a disproportionately higher risk of suicide compared to other professions, in part due to isolation, it’s easy to see why these connections that are created on the road are so important.
Jonny Hawkins is fantastic as Bev, navigating that fine line between humour and candour with flair. Political correctness is left at the door, and yet despite the moments of awkward silence, Hawkins has created an oddly likable character. The moments of audience interaction are particularly well done and unexpected, cementing the idea that we are along for the ride.
Truck Driver is a unique and deeply human performance that will take you down roads you’ve never travelled before.
THREE AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Truck Driver will perform at the Sydney Opera House until 20 June 2026. It is a Soft Tread production presented by the Sydney Opera House in association with Performance Space
For more information and to purchase tickets, head to the Sydney Opera House website.
Reviewer attended on 17 June 2026.
Photos: Daniel Boud
