Writer’s Note: Mary Rachel Brown, THE DAPTO CHASER

I was in my mid-thirties when I wrote this play. At the time, I did not think anything could shock me, and I thought I was well beyond having my heart stolen…then I went to Dapto. It changed my perspective on family, community, and what it means to be human under pressure. The track was a treasure trove of colourful characters, outrageous stories, and colloquial slang that was so endearingly specific to dog-racing culture. From the very get go, it was obvious the track was full high stakes and big swings. In short, The Dapto Dogs was a playwright’s dream.

To build trust and get the stories I needed to create this play, I spent a long time hanging out at the track. I ended up spending a big whack of my commission on beer and gambling, so I could truly immerse myself in the world. I would like to give a big thank you to the former Dapto Dogs club management, and a very special thankyou to Reggie and Niffty. Their generosity and trust are what formed the heart of this play.

In many respects, the structure of a race is similar to the structure of a play. Our characters always want to win something, and we follow their struggle to achieve their goal. The tension of what will be lost and what will be gained is what makes us care. Although this play is set in the dog world, my intention was for its themes to be universal. THE DAPTO CHASER is ode to ties that bind us, and the power of family to make or break us. I hope this work also contributes to the discourse on generational poverty and the pervasiveness of gambling in our culture.

When THE DAPTO CHASER was on at Griffin, I met a punter in the foyer, and we talked about the show. I asked him when he last went to the theatre; his response: “I saw Slim Dusty in 1973.” On another performance, the front row was full of bikies. Some people also came because their dad or uncle was a dog trainer. When it comes to the arts, diversity is rightly front and centre. Representation of ethnicity, gender and sexuality is important, but class is often forgotten in the discourse on diversity. THE DAPTO CHASER got people through the door who don’t normally go to the theatre. That was big and meaningful win for me. It is what I am most proud of when it comes to this play.

I would like to acknowledge the original commissioners and producers of this play, Merrigong Theatre Company. Thank you for taking a punt on me; you birthed my most successful play, I owe you. I would also like to acknowledge Apocalypse Theatre’s subsequent production. Working with these companies matured me as an artist. All theatre is a risk, and I am eternally grateful these companies took a risk on me, and this play.

I am thrilled to be working at Ensemble. If you had of told me ten years ago, I would have one of my plays on at this brilliant theatre, I would have not believed you. It is a special experience to have your work received by such a loyal and unique subscriber base. Bringing Dapto to the North Shore is a bold proposition, but it is the job of theatre to transport us to places we have possibly never been. A massive cheers to the Ensemble for saying yes to this warts-and-all pressure cooker of a play, and for backing this production with such a red hot team.

Please note, although this work is informed by The Dapto Dogs, the characters and story are fictional. Strap yourself in, I hope you enjoy the rock and roll world of the track as much as I did, and thank you for supporting this very Australian work.

PS If you’re thinking about getting a dog, rescue a greyhound. They are magnificent and gentle couch potatoes. Fun fact, they are the only dog that gets a mention in the bible, the Old Testament no less, that is how special these dogs are.

Mary Rachel Brown