It is not often that I get the chance to check out a brand-new Australian musical, let alone one that is centred around our national sport, AFL.
Thankfully, one such production exists and after 5 long years of development, it is finally ready to be shared with the world. This new original work titled One Day In September had its first ever, live audience performance on November 28th, 2024, at Melbourne’s Athenaeum 2, and I was honoured to be in attendance.
Directed by Trudy Dunn, with Book, Music and Lyrics by Maverick Newman and Kohan van Sambeeck, One Day In September is the tale of a young AFL draftee Sam Thompson. In his debut season with the Melbourne Bears, Sam rises to fame with his success on field. However, life is not all as it seems with Sam hiding an enormous secret off the field, he is gay.
Starring Keanu Gonzalez as Sam Thompson with Lorinda May Merrypor as girlfriend Sophie Parker and Yashith Fernando as boyfriend Jesse, the love triangle reaches boiling point when Sam struggles with his identity and an unknown perceived public reaction to him coming out. In today’s society, the question of sexuality should no longer be an issue and this production dives into the reality that I’m sure many current and former AFL players struggle with on a daily basis.
I was excited to experience this new production, mostly due to the relevance of the plot to the AFL as a whole. However, what I was not expecting was a whole secondary arc that looks into the lives of the players’ partners, the WAGs. Yes, that is a real term. For the uninitiated, the term WAGs stand for wives and girlfriends of sportsmen. So, I was a little perplexed when the first major number had nothing to do with the players themselves.
Don’t get me wrong, ‘Hey Girl’ is a fine introduction to these characters and a great representation of the stereotypical boozy and bougie life that a WAG is perceived to live. We also have another number from the girls with an introduction to the lead, Sophie, with ‘One of the Girls’. This is broken up by a wonderful solo from Gonzalez’s Sam with ‘The Game I Love’. This number exudes a lot of heart and is wonderfully composed.
However, it wasn’t until the fifth number of the first act that I was really blown away. Titled ‘Unbreakable’, the full ensemble AFL Player cast and Sam perform a training drill that has been transformed into an exhilarating dance number. Along with the composition and the lyrics, this number had me gasping in amazement. Choreographer Mackenzie Dunn has perfectly translated the movement of the sport into a skilfully performed dance routine.
This song would have been better suited as the opening of the show. Place it directly after the overture of the club song ‘We Are the Bears’, and it would be a perfect fit. ‘Unbreakable’ leans into the ‘boys club’ stereotype of the AFL, wonderfully setting the tone to how these players act around each other. Follow it up with Sam’s solo ‘The Game I Love’ and it is almost the perfect segue between Sam wanting to be ‘one of the boys’ and the softer more emotional side that is hiding within.
Now, if you are a fan of AFL, or at least, understand some of the rules and nature of the sport, then there are plenty of moments that will make you laugh. From a lovely scene between Sam and Jesse, where Sam is trying to explain the game rules is funny and accurate, to one of the best characters of the whole show, the Commentator portrayed by Nick Simpson-Deeks. With a microphone in hand and finger on his earpiece, the Commentator is a perfect representation of a sports presenter. Complete with the classic cliché moments and even an interview that doesn’t go as planned.
The ensemble cast of One Day in September are excellent in their respective roles. From the Melbourne Bears we have Team Captain TJ, Harry, Jimmy and Damo played by Joshua Russell, Alex Duffy, Lachlan Beck and David Duketis. While the WAGs consist of Kat, Jen, Lil and Dan portrayed by Mia Dabkowski-Chandler, Olivia Charalambous, Zoe Ioannou and Catty Hamilton respectively. Each have their own moments to shine, however two stood out. This being married couple Maya and Nathan portrayed by Ashleigh Rubenach and Des Flanagan respectively.
The pair have arguably the most emotional arc of the show and one that is all too real for many actual players heading towards the end of their careers. Flanagan’s portrayal of Nathan, a player forced into retirement was fantastic. For Nathan, his entire life has been football, yet even after his various successes, it was still all about to end. I really felt that.
The main characters of Sam and Sophie are not very likeable. This is of no fault of the performance but more likely intentional in the book. Sam Thompson is stuck between a life he wants to live and the life he feels he has to live. Expertly performed by Keanu Gonzalez, I felt his frustrations, anger and even empathy during ‘The Game I Love’ when Sam speaks to his mother that had sadly passed on. However, as Sam’s life unravels around him, he becomes very dislikeable. One thing I must call out though, Gonzalez can dance! What a performer!
Much is the same for Sam’s ‘girlfriend’ Sophie, portrayed by Lorinda May Merrypor. She’s an influencer girly from interstate trying to fit in with the other WAGs. Sophie comes across as very cliquey and self-absorbed. And when she discovers Sam’s secret, instead of being supportive, she thinks more of her own image and how she will be perceived online and in the media. Whilst Merrypor’s portrayal of this character is great, her vocal performance is where she really shines.
We also have the aforementioned Nick Simpson-Deeks not only as the funny Commentator, but also playing the role as Sam’s father. Simply known as Dad, Simpson-Deeks is shy and nervous around his son. Whilst we understand that his wife and Sam’s mother has tragically passed, we do not know how, nor do we ever understand why their relationship has taken a turn. It would have been great for some extra backstory to provide context so that audiences could understand why their relationship is the way it is. However, either way, Simpson-Deeks is wonderful in his portrayal of the two, very different, characters and is almost a scene stealer with how charismatic and likable he is with both characters.
Last, but by certainly not least, is Yashith Fernando as Jesse. Fernando smashes his performance of a lover stuck with someone that is afraid of who he is. His acting talents are sublime with superb vocals to match. I felt really sorry for Jesse. He clearly loves Sam and wants to support him at the same time. When the relationship reaches breaking point, I felt Jesse’s heartache and disappointment in Sam.
There is much to love about One Day In September. The music and lyrics by Maverick Newman and Kohan van Sambeeck, with accompanied orchestrations by Jason Arrow, are wonderful. The sound by Michael Waters is just as good, especially with the choice to use some real commentary that was played in the background pre-show as we took our seats.
The lighting by Tim Bonser is also fantastic. Just watch out for the dramatic dance number in Act 2, the lighting in this really accentuates the emotions in Gonzalez’s dancing, which is the perfect segue into the choreography by Mackenzie Dunn with associate choreography by Keanu Gonzalez himself. The dance numbers in this production are next level fantastic and perfectly translate the ‘dance’ nature of a training drill and the game itself into an actual dance. Each number exceeds expectations and exudes an excitement and energy I’ve rarely seen.
One Day In September has the potential to be the next big phenomenon to take over the country’s musical theatre scene. For a production that is still technically in development, I was extremely impressed. The musical covers a topic that the AFL has strangely struggled to embrace for well over a decade now and I hope that this story gets to be seen by many more.
Statistically, there is absolutely no way that the entire football league has zero players that are in the same position that Sam is in, and I genuinely hope that One Day In September is the catalyst that many are seeking to initiate change.
The Perryman Theatre Company‘s One Day In September is currently playing at Athenaeum 2 in Melbourne. It has one show left with ticket availability – Saturday the 30th of November’s 2pm matinee performance. With both Friday and Saturday evening shows sold out, tickets are going really fast, so get in before it is too late!
For more information and ticketing, visit:
https://www.instagram.com/onedayinsept
Photography by Matthew Chen.
