The Club (play)
Encyclopedia
The Club is a satirical play by Australia
n playwright David Williamson
, that follows the fortunes of a football
club over the course of a season. It explores the clashes between "human loyalty versus materialistic gain". It was inspired by the backroom dealings and antics of the Victorian Football League's Collingwood
.
The play was produced in 1977, appropriately in Melbourne
. It has been in the senior English syllabi for four Australian states for many years, and has even run in America, under the name Players.
A film version was produced in 1980, written by David Williamson, directed by Bruce Beresford
and starring John Howard
, Jack Thompson
, Graham Kennedy
and Frank Wilson
. The film was described as a "hilarious, sharply observed slice of life".
In 2007 The Club
was re-produced and is currently touring Australia
, starring John Wood
, Denis Moore and Christopher Connelly.
n recruit, Geoff Hayward (Howard). Geoff does not play well initially, infuriating the dedicated coach, Laurie Holden (Thompson). With the club playing so badly, Laurie's coaching days look to be over soon.
Ted Parker (Kennedy), the club president is forced to resign following an assault on a stripper where he punched her because she wasn’t interested in him but had previously acted very interested but this incident could have been kept quiet apart from the fact that there was backstabbing from various board members, especially Jock (Frank Wilson
) and Gerry (Alan Cassell
).
Laurie discovers that the board wants to sack him (arising from a long grudge held against Laurie by Jock), so Laurie inspires Geoff to start playing well. It is later revealed that Jock used to be Laurie's coach when Laurie played for The Club. Jock was jealous because Laurie nearly surpassed his club record of 282 games. He also lost a Grand Final
by making poor decisions under the influence of marijuana.
Laurie then told the members that he was drunk. After being dismissed as coach, Laurie became the new coach and Jock tried to sabotage the club his best to get back at Laurie. The team start winning and eventually make the grand final, beating Fitzroy
. The film ends with Gerry saying, 'Laurie's a great coach', then looking at Jock, 'God knows why some members of the board wanted to get rid of him'.
The film's ending credits have Up There Cazaly
, a famous football song, as a theme.
Geoff Hayward (John Howard
) - a new recruit with a huge reputation lured to the club with big money in an attempt to haul the team up the ladder. Hayward resents that the club sees him as a commodity to be bought and sold.
Laurie Holden (Jack Thompson
) - the respected and earnest coach of the club whose champion playing career was ended by injury just short of the record number of games played for the club. Holden's credo is honesty and discipline, but the team has struggled to find success under his coaching and he knows that he is under pressure to avoid the sack.
Ted Parker (Graham Kennedy
) - club president and owner of a pie factory, Parker is just a fan with a lot of money that the club want a share of. Although his knowledge of the game's intricacies is limited, he has watched virtually every game played by the club since he was a small boy.
Jock Riley (Frank Wilson
) - ex-champion player from an earlier era, the successful coaching predecessor to Laurie and now an influential committeeman. Jock has a finger on the pulse of everything that happens around the club and he regularly meddles when he thinks it necessary.
Gerry Cooper (Alan Cassell
) - a new breed administrator recently hired to drag the club into a more professional era. Gerry sees the club as a business, his appointment as merely a job and eschews emotion in his decision making.
Danny Rowe (Harold Hopkins) - Player and captain of the team. His career is almost finished and the club consider trading him.
. This process began in the late 1960s/early 1970s.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n playwright David Williamson
David Williamson
David Keith Williamson AO is one of Australia's best-known playwrights. He has also written screenplays and teleplays.-Biography:...
, that follows the fortunes of a football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
club over the course of a season. It explores the clashes between "human loyalty versus materialistic gain". It was inspired by the backroom dealings and antics of the Victorian Football League's Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
.
The play was produced in 1977, appropriately in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
. It has been in the senior English syllabi for four Australian states for many years, and has even run in America, under the name Players.
A film version was produced in 1980, written by David Williamson, directed by Bruce Beresford
Bruce Beresford
Bruce Beresford is an Australian film director who has made more than 30 feature films over a 40-year career.-Early life:...
and starring John Howard
John Howard (Australian actor)
John Howard is an Australian stage and screen actor. Howard is best known for his appearances in the film The Club, and the television series SeaChange, Always Greener, All Saints and Packed To The Rafters.-Film:Howard's first role was in 1978's My Boys Are Good Boys, in a minor role...
, Jack Thompson
Jack Thompson (actor)
Jack Thompson, AM is an Australian actor and one of the major figures of Australian cinema. He was educated at University of Queensland, before embarking on his acting career. In 2002, he was made an honorary member of the Australian Cinematographers Society...
, Graham Kennedy
Graham Kennedy
Graham Cyril Kennedy, AO was an Australian radio, television and film performer, often called Gra Gra and The King of Australian television.-Childhood:...
and Frank Wilson
Frank Wilson (Australian actor)
Frank Edward Wilson was an Australian film, stage and television actor; musical comedy singer and director; and television game show and variety host.-Early life:...
. The film was described as a "hilarious, sharply observed slice of life".
In 2007 The Club
The Club
-Music:*The Club , a dance music program that is broadcast on Australian youth radio station Triple J*"The Club ", a song by Korean group The Grace* The Club, a song from the musical In The Heights...
was re-produced and is currently touring Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, starring John Wood
John Wood (Australian actor)
John Wood is a Gold Logie Award-winning Australian actor, best known for his role as Senior Sergeant Tom Croydon in the Seven Network's long running police drama Blue Heelers.-TV career:...
, Denis Moore and Christopher Connelly.
Plot
The club pay a high price for TasmaniaTasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
n recruit, Geoff Hayward (Howard). Geoff does not play well initially, infuriating the dedicated coach, Laurie Holden (Thompson). With the club playing so badly, Laurie's coaching days look to be over soon.
Ted Parker (Kennedy), the club president is forced to resign following an assault on a stripper where he punched her because she wasn’t interested in him but had previously acted very interested but this incident could have been kept quiet apart from the fact that there was backstabbing from various board members, especially Jock (Frank Wilson
Frank Wilson (Australian actor)
Frank Edward Wilson was an Australian film, stage and television actor; musical comedy singer and director; and television game show and variety host.-Early life:...
) and Gerry (Alan Cassell
Alan Cassell
Alan Cassell is an Australian actor, born in the UK and best known for his roles in film and television.Cassell was one of the actors who worked in Bruce Beresford's early Australian films....
).
Laurie discovers that the board wants to sack him (arising from a long grudge held against Laurie by Jock), so Laurie inspires Geoff to start playing well. It is later revealed that Jock used to be Laurie's coach when Laurie played for The Club. Jock was jealous because Laurie nearly surpassed his club record of 282 games. He also lost a Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
by making poor decisions under the influence of marijuana.
Laurie then told the members that he was drunk. After being dismissed as coach, Laurie became the new coach and Jock tried to sabotage the club his best to get back at Laurie. The team start winning and eventually make the grand final, beating Fitzroy
Fitzroy Football Club
The Fitzroy Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Lions, is an Australian rules football club formed in 1883 to represent the inner Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy, Victoria and was a foundation member club of the Victorian Football League on its inception in 1897...
. The film ends with Gerry saying, 'Laurie's a great coach', then looking at Jock, 'God knows why some members of the board wanted to get rid of him'.
The film's ending credits have Up There Cazaly
Up There Cazaly
"Up There Cazaly" is an Australian sporting catchphrase inspired by former St Kilda and South Melbourne great Roy Cazaly...
, a famous football song, as a theme.
Differences
Chief differences between the play and the film versions include:- In the film, there are some scenes that take place outside The Club's hallowed halls. In the play, all of the scenes are inside The Club and are acted out in real time, whereas the film takes place over a season.
- In the play, The Club is never named to be one specific club. In the film, Collingwood FC's guernsey is used, the entire film was shot on location at Collingwood's then home ground of Victoria Park, and Collingwood players are featured in speaking and non-speaking roles.
- In addition, in the film, the incident with the stripperStripperA stripper is a professional erotic dancer who performs a contemporary form of striptease at strip club establishments, public exhibitions, and private engagements. Unlike in burlesque, the performer in the modern Americanized form of stripping minimizes the interaction of customer and dancer,...
is shown, whereas in the play, she is an unseen characterUnseen characterIn fiction, an unseen character is a character that is never directly observed by the audience but is only described by other characters. They are a common device in drama and have been called "triumphs of theatrical invention". They are continuing characters — characters who are currently in...
. - The play does not show the club going on to win a premiership, instead ending after Laurie vows to make the finals and screw the Club's board.
Characters
The plot revolves around six central characters:Geoff Hayward (John Howard
John Howard (Australian actor)
John Howard is an Australian stage and screen actor. Howard is best known for his appearances in the film The Club, and the television series SeaChange, Always Greener, All Saints and Packed To The Rafters.-Film:Howard's first role was in 1978's My Boys Are Good Boys, in a minor role...
) - a new recruit with a huge reputation lured to the club with big money in an attempt to haul the team up the ladder. Hayward resents that the club sees him as a commodity to be bought and sold.
Laurie Holden (Jack Thompson
Jack Thompson (actor)
Jack Thompson, AM is an Australian actor and one of the major figures of Australian cinema. He was educated at University of Queensland, before embarking on his acting career. In 2002, he was made an honorary member of the Australian Cinematographers Society...
) - the respected and earnest coach of the club whose champion playing career was ended by injury just short of the record number of games played for the club. Holden's credo is honesty and discipline, but the team has struggled to find success under his coaching and he knows that he is under pressure to avoid the sack.
Ted Parker (Graham Kennedy
Graham Kennedy
Graham Cyril Kennedy, AO was an Australian radio, television and film performer, often called Gra Gra and The King of Australian television.-Childhood:...
) - club president and owner of a pie factory, Parker is just a fan with a lot of money that the club want a share of. Although his knowledge of the game's intricacies is limited, he has watched virtually every game played by the club since he was a small boy.
Jock Riley (Frank Wilson
Frank Wilson (Australian actor)
Frank Edward Wilson was an Australian film, stage and television actor; musical comedy singer and director; and television game show and variety host.-Early life:...
) - ex-champion player from an earlier era, the successful coaching predecessor to Laurie and now an influential committeeman. Jock has a finger on the pulse of everything that happens around the club and he regularly meddles when he thinks it necessary.
Gerry Cooper (Alan Cassell
Alan Cassell
Alan Cassell is an Australian actor, born in the UK and best known for his roles in film and television.Cassell was one of the actors who worked in Bruce Beresford's early Australian films....
) - a new breed administrator recently hired to drag the club into a more professional era. Gerry sees the club as a business, his appointment as merely a job and eschews emotion in his decision making.
Danny Rowe (Harold Hopkins) - Player and captain of the team. His career is almost finished and the club consider trading him.
Setting
In the script, Williamson uses the arrival of Hayward at the club as a device that gets these characters interacting as express their opinions on Hayward's poor early-season form and attitude, thus exploring several themes relevant to the culture of any sporting club. The original play and the movie were created at a time when Australian football was in a state of flux, moving from a semi-professional state (where players were paid "beer" money for their services) to the modern, fully professional, franchised structure that is know today as the Australian Football LeagueAustralian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
. This process began in the late 1960s/early 1970s.
Box Office
The Club grossed $804,000 at the box office in Australia, which is equivalent to $2,854,201 in 2009 dollars.External links
- Studies of Australian Drama - David Williamson : The Club
- Teacher's Notes on David Williamson's plays including The Club
- The Club at the National Film and Sound Archive
- Kodak/Atlab Cinema Collection
- Collingwood Football Club
- Murdoch University Reading Room
- Macquarie City Library
- Digital Term Papers
- Australian Film Commission
- The New York Times