ABC Goulburn Murray presenter Matt Dowling has drawn from his experiences of growing up on the land in the southern Riverina for his character in the world stage debut of Dookie: The Musical.
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For Dowling – a former Border Mail journalist – growing up on a farm in Savernake, has placed him in good stead to portray the role of the hard-hearted old farmer, Bill Turner, a Vietnam veteran and widower who is emotionally estranged from his son, Dean.
“Men on the land have traditionally tended to bottle up their feelings and fears to keep the family protected and the farms profitable,” Dowling says.
“But, as audiences will see, the consequences of unresolved grief and guilt can often have devastating outcomes.”
Rehearsals are in full swing for the world premiere of Shepparton Theatre Arts Group’s Dookie: The Musical on Anzac Day.
It is the culmination of two years hard work.
Based on the play, Dookie, by John Head which had its own premiere in 2016, composer, Wade Gregory along with co-lyricist, Helen Rankin took the play and breathed musical life into it.
In honour of fallen soldiers from Dookie in World War One, the musical is a heartwarming, poignant and humorous look at small town politics and the effect of war on returned soldiers.
Set in 2007, soldier Dean Turner returns from Afghanistan to his small hometown of Dookie, accompanied by his PTSD-affected comrade Steve.
Dean hopes Dookie will be a good place for his mate’s recovery.
In the meantime, the community has entered an orchestral competition hoping to win enough money to build a memorial to commemorate their WWI fallen in time for the 100th anniversary of ANZAC Day.
Just one problem ... they don’t have an orchestra!
While the subject matter of the musical can appear at times to be very sombre, Dowling assures audiences there are plenty of laughs to go along with the tears.
“Some of the one-liners in the show are among the best you’ll here anywhere,” he says.
“And if you live in a small town and are aware of how news travels, you’re in for a laugh too.”
Dowling is no stranger to the stage having performed in a number of plays and musical on the Border and Northern Victoria in recent years, collecting four Georgy Awards for acting along the way. Among his acclaimed roles are Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady and Mayor Brian Harrigan in Australia Day.
