DAGS
by DEBRA OSWALD
Canberra Youth Theatre
Canberra Theatre Centre 2021
Director Luke Rogers
Designer Aislinn King
Lighting Designer Antony Hateley
Assistant Director Sophie Tallis
Stage Manager Rhiley Winnett
Cast
Persephone Bates d’Arbela
William Best
Sophie Blackburn
Jade Breen
Alexi Clark Mitchell
Elliot Cleaves
Hannah Cornelia
Jessi Gooding
Matthew Hogan
Josh James
Breanna Kelly
Abigail Marceau
Juniper Potter
Disa Swifte
Lily Welling
Photography Ben Appleton
I’m going to admit something I never thought I’d admit to anyone ever. I’ve got a crush on Adam. Head over heels. Uncontrollable passion… unrequited passion, of course… I know he’d never go for a dag like me.
Gillian is 16. She’s interesting, erudite, soulful, romantic… and she’s a dag. I mean, daaaaaaag! She’s a misfit, an outcast, a chocolate addict, on a desperate quest to be beautiful and popular. Oh yeah, and she’s hopelessly in love with Adam – and I mean hopelessly – like, a negative vacuum of sub-atomic non-hope.
Follow Gillian’s pursuit of romance and happiness, as she navigates overbearing sisters, schoolyard politics, head-over-heels crushes, and first kisses, to discover that maybe finding out who you really are isn’t so bad after all, even if you are a dag.
Dags is an excruciatingly funny and compassionate journey through the world of adolescent anguish. Originally commissioned by Canberra Youth Theatre in 1985, it has become one of the most definitive and popular Australian plays for young people ever. Of course, life as a teenager has changed so much since the 80s… hasn’t it?
Whether you’re living it for the first time, or have been reliving it ever since, Dags is the ultimate show about the awkward glory of never fitting in, ‘cause who the hell would even want to?
Dags was a Canberra Youth Theatre production.
Nominated for Best Production of a Play at the 2022 Ovation Awards
"Artistic Director Luke Rogers has produced a turbo charged revival that ricochets with vitality and relevance. It is youth theatre at its very best, dynamic, honest and relevant to the highly skilled teenage performers... Rogers’ vibrant, tight and fast paced production is as relevant as it was all those years ago.."
– Canberra Critics Circle
"cleverly imagined… a show for multiple generations"
– Canberra CityNews
"It’s hard to imagine a more appropriate production to celebrate Canberra Youth Theatre’s 50th year than this exuberant play… Debra Oswald’s delightfully observed depiction of adolescent angst is brought to life by Rogers and his cast in a light-hearted series of sequences, punctuated by well-staged ensemble scenes broadly and enthusiastically performed… a thoroughly entertaining production."
– Australian Arts Review
