Type: Australian satire, black tragi-comedy
If you liked: The Removalists, Death of a Salesman, The Homecoming
The Dapto Chaser: This wonderfully dark comic play is deceptive; as towering as a Greek Tragedy, and Shakespearean in its essence
Mary Rachel Brown’s wonderful darkly comic play The Dapto Chaser is deceptive. Ostensibly a domestic drama set in the rough as guts world of greyhound racing, it is actually much, much more. With its universal themes of envy, betrayal, greed and power, it is as towering as any ancient Greek tragedy or Shakespeare’s Lear or Hamlet. With its Cain-and-Abel subplot, it really taps into some seminal stories that are infused in the Western literary canon. Brown’s talent is to sheet all this grand drama and emotion into the smallest and most grubby of all settings, and make it hilarious to boot.
Two brothers, who have lived in the shadow of their aging father while he made a life in breeding and racing greyhounds, grapple with debt and corruption after his death. Brown’s script works in a tight and brilliantly structured arc, and her grasp and execution of Aussie vernacular and rhythms is superb.
The cast does true credit to the script and they bring it to horrible life. Peter Carroll as Errol the dying father just keeps on keeping on, his comic timing and voice command as watchable as ever. Marco Chiappi as the bullying spiv bookie Arnold is both hilarious and menacing and could carry a whole Guy Ritchie film himself. André De Vanny as the downtrodden Jimmy gives us a heartbreaking turn as the sad, overlooked brother who yet is able to surprise everyone. Justin Rosniak’s execution of Cess is a great achievement. His range and skill presents this hugely complex character in the most natural and organic performance, going from slapstick comedy to high tragedy and back again. His relinquishment at the end is as tragic as any Willy Loman or Hamlet could be.
This is not a politically correct diversity play. It is four white, rough, unpleasant blokes all struggling to be the top dog somehow, and Brown’s script and plotting leans right into the bald rawness of the racing world they inhabit. Simone Romaniuk’s ultrarealistic cluttered set and suitably ugly costumes evokes this world equally well. Madeleine Picard’s composition and sound, and Aron Murray’s video projections help to immerse us in the noises and sights of the racetrack.
Is The Dapto Chaser Worth Seeing in Sydney?
Anna Houston’s directing brings The Dapto Chaser to life. Using multi-levels and fast pacing, her style is assured, imaginative and attuned to the rhythms of the play. With a keen sense of pace, she balances the humour, tension and emotional depth, ensuring that everything happening on stage serves the story, and the characters and their relationships emerge clearly. This production is immediate, engaging and thoroughly alive; a must-see.
Tickets and Practical Info for The Dapto Chaser in Sydney 🎟️
By Mary Rachel Brown
Directed by Anna Houston
Ensemble Theatre, Kirribilli
Until 25 July 2026
Tickets: here
Cast
Peter Carroll – Errol Sinclair
Marco Chiappi – Arnold Denny
André de Vanny – Jimmy Sinclair
Justin Rosniak – Cess Sinclair
Creatives
Director – Anna Houston
Set & Costume Designer – Simone Romaniuk
Lighting Designer – Matt Cox
Composer and Sound Designer – Madeleine Picard
Video Designer – Aron Murray
