Melbourne Theatre Company and Queensland Theatre Company's new stage play - 37 - tears away layers to expose the darker elements of footy clubs and a landmark moment in Australia's recent history.
Taking its name from the number worn by AFL champion Adam Goodes, it follows the fortunes of success-starved local side the Currawongs, and star recruits Jayma (Ngali Shaw) and Sonny (Tibian Wyles) - Indigenous cousins and outsiders to the small coastal town, for the upcoming season.
Penned by Trawlwoolway playwright and two-time Tasmanian Aboriginal Artist of the Year Nathan Maynard, and directed/co-choreographed by Noongar man Isaac Drandic, 37 reignites the social commentary sparked from Goodes' cultural stand during Sir Doug Nicholls round in 2015.
Set at the time, simmering off-field racial tension emerges beyond the team's early successes keeping it below the surface.
Goodes' 'war cry' celebrating a goal against Carlton and resulting reactions shift the environment for the Currawongs' new stars.
It's a hinge-point in the plot Drandic told National Indigenous Times required reflection.
"We saw this (Goodes' act) catch fire, like a virus that spread across this country for at least a year and a half. That resulted in the continuous booing that went on for way too long, of an Australian of the Year, who was just celebrating his culture," he said.
Tibian Wyles said it was something which felt familiar to his experiences growing up and in a footy club, albeit rugby league, in North Queensland.
"Probably a lot of Blackfellas around the country kind of stopped and shined a light on what was happening," he said.
37 walks a delicate line of reengaging with a near decade-old conversation speaking to ongoing racial issues in the country while still delivering a joyous 90-minute show.
"To our stories, (humour) is a really great device because it keeps people listening before we actually hit them with something to do with truth telling, to do with challenging popular racist narratives that we've all grown up with in this country," Drandic said.
"Nathan very cleverly weaves humour, all through this work to bring the audience in and take the audience on a ride, before getting really serious about, the messaging and what it is he wants to be able to say and what he wants audiences to take away with."
Drandic said after it's first life as a Victorian College of the Arts play two years ago, he was focused on developing "staging the football".
Depictions of gameplay take form in what's almost a dance, stripping away elements to leave the essence of football - a point Jayma and Sonny introduce speaking of marn grook being the origin and soul of Australian Rules Football.
Drandic said, with co-choreographer Waangenga Blanco, that physical language was informed by his own perception of the game.
"I've always seen AFL as a big dance, as a big corroboree," he said.
Wyles said it was a "contemporary physicality" he was able to take on with his background with Arnhem Land dance company Djuki Mala, but a challenge to get right.
37 has earned rave reviews from its opening shows at Melbourne Theatre Company.
It remains in Naarm until April 5 before heading north to tour Bille Brown Theatre in South Brisbane from April 11 to May 4.
