Queensland Theatre's newest productions is stunning
audiences with its powerhouse story full of all things footy, bringing community
spirit, thrilling energy and intense physicality to the stage in 37, playing at
the Bille Brown Theatre until 4 May.
Penned by twice-named Tasmanian
Aboriginal Artist of the Year, Nathan Maynard, and directed by renowned
Australian director and proud Noongar man, Isaac Drandic, the co-production
with Melbourne Theatre Company brings together an ensemble of 10 men to portray
a local footy team’s struggle from the bottom of the ladder.
Named after the immortalised
number Adam Goodes wore on his AFL jersey and set within the era of his famous
war-cry, 37 follows the fictional Cutting Cove Currawongs in their fight for
premiership glory, which playwright Nathan Maynard described as a story many
can relate to.
“I won’t go into the themes I
touch on in the work because that’s why I wrote the play, for both the audience
and I to explore them through a creative lens. But for me, the footy in this
play is the vehicle that carries the story and conversation,” Maynard said.
“It’s a play about footy that’s
also nothing about footy.”
Despite the deep themes Maynard
covers within the play, the talented ensemble tackles the heaviness with
humour, energy, and a whole lot of heart, through the vessels of sportsmanship,
authenticity, and integrity, producing a quality performance for both arts and
footy lovers.
The cast features breakout star
and 2024 recipient of AACTA Brian Walsh Award, Ngali Shaw alongside Tibian
Wyles (Black Comedy, Stomping Ground) who portray the two Marngrook cousins,
Jayma and Sonny, with teammates played by Australian on-screen actor, Ben
O’Toole (Boy Swallows Universe), Syd Brisbane (Victory, Night on Bald
Mountain), Mitchell Brotz (Batmania, True Story with Hamish and Andy), Samuel
Buckley (Hyde and Seek, Seduction), Costa D’Angelo (Neighbours, Crazy Fun
Park), Thomas Larkin (Death of a Salesman, Bernhardt/Hamlet), Eddie Orton
(Framed, Touching the Void) and Anthony Standish (City of Gold, Our Town)
“Our 10-strong cast stand against
a backdrop of real, raw footy giving the audience a highly physical and visceral
performance. Through carefully crafted choreographed sequences the game we love
comes alive on stage. It’s nuanced, it’s athletic and it’s beautiful. There’s a
strong camaraderie between the cast, off stage and on which adds to the
richness of the world of 37,” Drandic added.
“There’s a strong cultural layer
throughout 37. We draw inspiration for the movement and choreography from the
origins of AFL football — an Aboriginal game called Marngrook. We share some of
the more confronting aspects of Australian culture in our sports, and we invite
the audience into the changerooms of the Cutting Cove Footy Club.”
The production has hit Brisbane
audiences off the back of its world premiere at Melbourne’s Southbank Theatre,
which has included an array of four- and five-star reviews.
Tickets are
available now for performances at Queensland Theatre’s Bille Brown Theatre until 4 May at queenslandtheatre.com.au/plays/37.
Written by Jake Goodall Growing up can often feel like navigating through uncharted territory, with uncertainties looming at every turn. Big Yikes! encapsulates this sentiment within a concise 90-minute production, weaving the relatable journey of Loxie as she ventures into the complexities of adulthood. From grappling with identity to confronting the daunting questions of purpose and direction. Reinventing herself to evade being reduced to mere stereotypes, Loxie embarks on a tumultuous period of transition—graduating from school, stepping into her first job, and embarking on the quest for independence while awaiting university acceptances. Set against the backdrop of a dilapidated share house and the tumult of tangled relationships, Big Yikes! delves into the nuances of boundary-setting, decision-making, and self-discovery, all while injecting doses of humor and heartbreak into its storytelling. Written by Madeleine Border, the script's casual tone serves as an accessible...
Australia’s mighty circus company CIRCA is celebrating its 20th birthday in 2024. It was on March 31, 2004, that Circa, then an ensemble of three, performed its first show. Fast forward twenty years, and Circa is an ensemble of thirty, with five full time directors and designers; from its original base in Brisbane, Circa now has additional homes in Cairns and satellite bases around the world. Firmly established as one of the world’s leading performance companies, over the past two decades, the company has achieved remarkable success to become Australia’s most internationally toured performing arts company, performing in over 45 countries, to nearly 2 million people and attracting superlative reviews wherever it goes. In 2024, Circa is delivering a staggering 361 performances in 20 different countries 97 cities and towns. Australian highlights include the World Premiere of Dido and Aeneas, a new collaboration with Opera Queensland following January’s critically accla...
This month Queensland Ballet launched The Ballet Boys Project , a series of initiatives designed to explore and address the decline of boys in ballet and dance. Since 2020, Queensland Ballet Academy has seen a 36% decline in male enrolments, a downward trend that Christian TÃ tchev, Director of Queensland Ballet Academy, observes is evident across the professional training industry globally. Queensland Ballet Executive Director Dilshani Weerasinghe said the company is taking the decline seriously by taking a market leading stand and addressing what is potentially a sustainability issue for the artform. “As such, we are encouraging the dance and broader community to join this movement with us to ensure the tradition of ballet – although ever evolving, lives on with strong participation from male dancers,” Mrs Weerasinghe said. The company has established a The Boys in Ballet Committee to identifying the roadblocks and take action to address the issue. As the fi...
Comments
Post a Comment