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Culture And Tradition Torn To Shreds In ‘The Club’

David Williamson’s ‘The Club’, featuring well known actor John Wood, will feature at the Latrobe Performing Arts Centre at 8pm on Thursday 8 November 2007.

By Latrobe City - 23rd October 2007 - Back to News

Latrobe City’s performing arts and venues coordinator, Kathleen Roberts, said ‘The Club’ is a story about egotism, commitment, power, jealousy, and greed; providing a night of drama and great entertainment that’s not to be missed.

"The story covers the transition of Australian sport into becoming Australian business. The culture and rituals of an old club are torn to shreds as the mighty dollar takes over. As one player remarks ‘we joined for the honour of wearing the guernsey and a pat on the back… not for money’," Ms Roberts explained.

David Williamson’s ‘The Club’ boasts the accomplished talents of director, Bruce Myles (HIT’s Hotel Sorrento, Love Child), designer, Anna Borghesi (HIT’s Wallflowering) and lighting designer, Glenn Hughes (HIT’s Hotel Sorrento, Educating Rita). Joining John on stage will be an exceptional cast including Christopher Connelly (HIT’s Hotel Sorrento), Denis Moore (Malthouse’s The Spook), Christopher Parker (Oklahoma) and Simon Wilton (Playbox’s Still Angela).

"But ‘The Club’ belongs to the one-time jock, played with finesse by John Wood. He’s an excellent stage actor with the technique and presence to make an audience believe in the person he’s pretending to be," Ms Roberts said.

"In Williamson’s play, the club is languishing near the bottom of the Victorian Football League (VFL) premiership ladder, and has done so for a long time; it's been 19 years since its last premiership win. An atmosphere of blame, backstabbing and desperation has brewed into the resulting tension. The club has just paid an enormous sum of money for a young Tasmanian player, in a huge gamble that he will help change their fortunes. What they don't know is that he's rather disenchanted with ‘chasing a piece of pig skin around a muddy paddock’. His arrival at the club ignites the tension and friction that has been gradually building between a number of key people," Ms Roberts explained.

For tickets and further information on forthcoming performances, please contact the Box Office, telephone 5176 3559 or email boxoffice@latrobe.vic.gov.au.

Source: www.gippsland.com

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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