Yes, The Dapto Chaser, is about greyhound racing, but there are many other themes at its core. Mary Rachel Brown’s black comedy studies the intimate dynamics of family relationships and explores the ramifications of risk-taking.
The play opens with Errol (Peter Carroll), the patriarch of the Sinclair family, sitting in his lounge chair and wrestling with a scratchy, portable radio. (He’s attempting to listen to the dog races at Dapto.) Cigarettes, beers and an oxygen tank are close-by. Fiddling with the form guide in the newspaper, Errol announces he has Stage 4 lung cancer and that there’s no Stage 5! Carroll relishes his sardonic, sarcastic dialogue with exquisite coming timing. On opening night, the mainly actor-filled audience were in hysterics.
Errol fits the stereotype of an Aussie battler, living in a humble home, surrounded by bland furniture. He’s not despondent about his plight because there’s a belief a big win is just around the corner. His two sons, Cess, played with edge-of-the-seat intensity by Justin Rosniak and Jimmy, a character given a convincing edginess by Andre de Vanny, are constantly at war with each other. Cess has his own greyhound called, Boy Named Sue (an obvious reference to the Cash classic) and Jimmy works at the track as a dogs’ lure driver. Arnold (Marco Chiappi) is a bookmaker/ trainer who is always lurking. Chiappi plays the role of smooth sleazebag with aplomb. The Sinclairs’ lives are fully wound up with Arnold’s power plays, which always riled Errol.
We sense that greyhound racing is full of eccentrics. Brown is playful with the greyhound names. ‘Mum’s Bunion’, extracted lots of giggles from the audience. Having video projections of greyhound races, complete with commentary, adds to the whole experience. The high energy nature of gambling is felt.
When Errol dies, there’s an immediate sense of panic between the brothers. The funeral costs amount to nine thousand-plus dollars. The figure is problematic. A get-rich-quick scheme is needed. Cess decides to sell his dog, to offset the debts. The dog is worth fourteen thousand dollars, but Arnold will only pay ten thousand. Even so, the figure is accepted. Cess boasts that there’s money left-over for fancy sandwiches and Jimmy can get ham/ pineapple pizza.
Cess will not leave the greyhound world, but Jimmy decides to flee to the Gold Coast. (Cess hands him a hundred dollar note for petrol.) One senses that the brothers may never see each other again.
Ensemble Theatre’s production of The Dapto Chaser , is brilliantly performed. Director, Anna Houston, has the cast performing at the peak of their powers. Peter Carroll (if he was acting in England, he’d be knighted), Marco Chiappi (can do it all from Shakespeare to the TV Show, Wentworth), Andre De Vanny (extensive TV credits including Wicked Science) and Justin Rosniak (who made the transition ftom child actor to seasoned professional, decades ago, but I still fondly remember him from Eggshells with Garry McDonald and Rebecca Smart.)
Simone Romaniuk’s set design perfectly captures the mood of this working class family. Matt Cox lighting design, Madeleine Picard, composer and sound design and Aron Murray on video design, all work to make this is a thoroughly immersive experience.
Interestingly, I noticed actors from Griffin’s Theatre’s 2015 production of The Dapto Chaser, in the audience. Noel Hodda and Jamie Oxenbould, certainly enjoyed this performance. I bet you will too! On opening night, there was a standing ovation.
To book tickets to The Dapto Chaser, please visit https://www.ensemble.com.au/shows/the-dapto-chaser/.
