37 review

When the Aboriginal Marngrook cousins join the (all-white) local football team, it means a new hope of finally nabbing the premiership cup that has eluded the club for years. But as they inch closer and closer to victory, tensions begin to simmer. Written by Nathan Maynard, 37 explores the world of Aussie Rules and "Aussie rules" of identity, community, and racism within a local footy club of Cutting Cove Currawongs.

Maynard's story might take place at a local level but by setting it amid Adam Goodes' challenging years as a player for the Sydney Swans, he presents a global perspective to this small-town event. The Number 37 guernsey wearer faced a bombardment of constant booing from AFL audiences, being called an ape by a 13-year-old Collingwood fan and accused of inciting violence for performing an Indigenous war dance at a match where he mimed throwing a boomerang (and not a spear as was reported), towards the Carlton cheer squad.

Ngali Shaw delivers a captivating performance as Jayma, one of the latest recruits. His physicality speaks volumes on the inner turmoil he feels from the microaggressions and racism he experiences from his team and how it impacts his ability to play the game he loves. He is seen as creating hostility for his open support of Goodes and wearing a 37 guernsey, yet the racist comments he is on the receiving end of are largely ignored or swept under the rug. He shares a spirited chemistry with second "Marngrook cousin" recruit Sonny (Tibian Wyles) and the deep bond the two have is clear. Sonny is considered as less divisive as Jayma and for that, he is treated with more "respect" and collegiality, but everyone has a breaking point and Wyles does a wonderful job in conveying Sonny's attempts to compartmentalise this and try to shrug it off.

Obsession with sport and how it is revered come across with the way the club speak to and address their coach: The General (Syd Brisbane). Brisbane takes on this role with gusto and shows the contradictory nature of this well-respected town hero who will work hard to permit the white man making racist remarks to stay in the team because you can't desert one of your own to the wolves but will cut out the Aboriginal player for daring to speak out against those remarks.

The rest of the ensemble (Mitchell Brotz, Samuel Buckly, Blake Draper, Thomas Larkin, Eddie Orton, Ben O'Toole and Anthony Standish) display authentic moments of bravado and camaraderie and bounce off each other well. Maynard's script brings genuine voices into the locker rooms, and the dialogue and interactions between "the boys" is a fair representation of sports culture in Australia. Orton is great as the antagonist and star player Woodsy, as he makes every effort to keep Jayma in his place with persistent digs and poking that become more and more savage. O'Toole provides a memorable performance as Joe, the conflicted captain whose frustration builds as the club prioritises success over dealing with the racist culture that is becoming commonplace.

Isaac Drandic's direction transports the audience far into the behind-the-scenes of this football team with their locker room shenanigans, bonding sessions, and on-the-ground games. He brings these characters to life, where no one is perfect, and all are flawed. This carries over into the remarkable way the matches are presented by Drandic and Waangenga Blanco. The choreography is slick and sharp with awe-inspiring sequences as players are lifted into the air in powerful poses. During these movements, the lighting (Ben Hughes) and sound (James Henry) breathtakingly build on the connection between AFL and Marngrook - the name of the First Peoples sport that was played with a possum skin ball – and between Australian sport and Aboriginal traditions.

You do not need to a fan of AFL to enjoy or be invested in 37. Hell, I don't care about football one bit, but 37 serves as a microcosm of Australia and its relationship with sport and racism. By the time the final siren blares, you can be left feeling a little deflated by what has transpired but sadly that is the reality in which we live in, and that is something worth caring about and working towards bringing in positive change.

SHOW DETAILS

Venue: Southbank Theatre, 140 Southbank Blvd, Southbank
Season: until 22 February | Mon - Tues 6:30pm, Wed - Sat 7:30pm, Wed & Sat 2pm
Duration:
95 minutes
Tickets: $50 - $123
Bookings: Melbourne Theatre Company

Images credit: Pia Johnson