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37: Review

Writer's picture: Tayla Ham (she/her)Tayla Ham (she/her)

The Cutting Cove boys are ready for another crack at the premiership in 37, brought back for another season at Melbourne Theatre Company after winning hearts in the 2024 season. 


“37,” named astutely after the number on Adam Goodes' Sydney Swans jumper, is a laugh-out-loud play that centres on a small town's struggle and desperate attempt to win its first premiership. However, at its core, it conveys a deep story about Australian footy culture and highlights how systemic racism is thoroughly ingrained in these small towns, where money talks and where footy serves as the unifying factor within the community.


Photo by Pia Johnson
Photo by Pia Johnson

Written by twice-named Tasmanian Aboriginal Artist of the Year Nathan Maynard, 37 begins by teaching the audience about the history of AFL, which many may not know originated from the Indigenous people's game called Marngrook.


In an effort to win their first premiership flag, the Cutting Cove Team recruits the Marngrook cousins, Sonny (Tibian Wyles) and Jayma (Ngali Shaw), and offers them pay to play in the team and secure that flag. 


The play is set in 2015, the year after Adam Goodes was named Australian of the Year for his contributions to the Indigenous community and his efforts to combat racism in Australia. It was in this AFL season that Goodes performed his controversial war cry celebration, creating tension between him and some AFL supporters. This context establishes the tone of the play and influences how the Marngrook cousins, particularly Jayma, are treated throughout the story.


Maynard’s writing skillfully balances humour and tension to create a realistic story. Combined with the talented cast, the characters feel like they could belong to any regional community football locker room in Australia. Growing up in a small town, I felt that these characters could have been plucked right off the streets of my community, and with them, the casual racism and hate comments that exist in Australian communities. 


On the other hand, when the men performed their highly choreographed movement, it was like a love letter to the First Nations people and culture. The choreography, co-created by the award-winning Waangenga Blanco and Isaac Drandic (director), showed the extraordinary mix of talent between the choreographers and the cast and demonstrated exactly why theatre should include more First Nations talent both on and off stage. The dances, lifts, and overall movement was captivating and was the absolute highlight of 37 for me.


The Marngrook cousins were a delight to watch, showcasing excellent comedic timing and chemistry between Wyles and Shaw. The antagonist, Woodsy (Eddie Orton), convincingly portrays his envy and hatred for Jayma. Some of Orton’s lines in the show are truly shocking, but they are there to make people sit up and pay attention—Woodsy’s character only gets away with these words because of his wealth which reflects the society we live in off the stage. 


37 is a thought-provoking piece that portrays how deeply the systemic racism runs in Australia, and how money is more important to so many than treating people with dignity. As a white-passing Indigenous woman who grew up in a small town like the fictional one in 37, this theme hit home.

4/5 Stars
4/5 Stars

Catch 37 at Melbourne Theatre Company until 22nd February 2025.


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