The Gospel according to Paul by Black Swan State Theatre Company

Details: Written by: Greg Letts; Category: Arts & Culture; Published: 25 July 2025

The-Gospel-according-to-Paul-Black-Swan

Jonathan Biggins (as Paul Keating) in The Gospel according to Paul
Photo Credit: Brett Boardman

On a nippy Thursday night in July, my partner and I threaded our way through the Perth Cultural Centre renovations and arrived at the Heath Ledger Theatre for Jonathan Biggins' The Gospel According to Paul.

As someone who became old enough to vote in the late 1980's but who wasn't particularly political, the names of Keating, Hawke, Peacock, and Howard float around in my head linked to caricature-like impressions of the men themselves – Bob Hawke's larrikinism, Andrew Peacock's hair (and tan!), John Howard's eyebrows, and of course, Paul Keating's suits, arrogance, and devasting zingers. So I was looking forward to a little nostalgia and a bit of a peek under the hood of one of Australia's most memorable politicians.

The Gospel According to Paul is a fascinating insight into Paul Keating as a man and as a politician. Jonathan Biggins slips smoothly into the title role, presenting us with a modern day Paul Keating looking back on his peers, his triumphs, and his failures with his razor-sharp wit and political acumen. He dispenses his praise and criticism with even-handed (mostly!) abandon, and doesn't spare himself from the look back in anger (and humour!).

Ranging from his upbringing in Bankstown right through to his downfall at the hands of John Howard, we are treated to 90 minutes of wit, whim and wisdom from the man himself, bringing to life the politician whose time in office included the Dismissal, the drover's dog election, the recession we had to have, Mabo, Redfern, banana republics and more. All brought to life and put into context through the crystal-clear lens of one Paul Keating, the Bankstown boy with a penchant for antique clocks.

It's an uncompromising, well spoken and perhaps just a touch arrogant recounting of a pivotal period of Australia's history, as told by one of the great movers and shakers of the time. But then, what else would you expect from someone who levelled Peter Costello with the quote “All tip, no iceberg”, but also said “In the end, the key ingredient for public life is imagination. You imagine something better, you try to bring the people with you.”?

The Gospel according to Paul by Black Swan State Theatre Company is on until 3 August at the State Theatre Centre of WA.

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