Australia’s favourite comedy is coming to the stage? Tell ’em they’re dreamin’

There was a time when The Castle popped up on telly so regularly that its creators feared it might soon wear out its welcome entirely.“After about the eighth time, I said to everyone, ‘Hey, we’ve got to stop them because people are going to hate it’,” says Rob Sitch, who directed the 1997 movie, and co-wrote it with his Working Dog colleagues Tom Gleisner, Santo Cilauro and Jane Kennedy.The Castle crew: Santo Cilauro, Jane Kennedy, Rob Sitch and Tom Gleisner.Hwa GohIn fact, the opposite happened; familiarity bred not contempt but adoration. The comedy about tow-truck driver Daryl Kerrigan (Michael Caton) battling to save his family home from developers recently topped a readers’ poll of best Australian movies of all time in this masthead (having come in at No.2 on our experts’ list).Why do we love it so much? “It’s got emotion underneath it all,” says Sitch. “Some stories bear repeating, and some don’t. We’ve written stories that don’t bear repeating, but this thing …”Now, to mark the 30th anniversary of its release, the movie isn’t just being repeated, it’s getting a complete makeover, as a stage show complete with new gags and updated setting.“There are so many aspects of modern life we’ve managed to include in this production that we think will delight and amuse people,” says Gleisner. “But we’ve also made sure to cleave to the heart and soul and story beats of the original.”At home with the Kerrigans: Anthony Simcoe as Steve, Stephen Curry as Dale, Michael Caton as Darryl and Anne Tenney as Sal. “It’s about house and home, and we all have that – or if we don’t have that, we aspire to it,” says Cilauro as he tries to explain the movie’s enduring appeal. “I guess it’s a simple story, pretty well told.”There was never any real thought of a sequel, though they did briefly entertain the possibility of a spin-off starring the hopelessly out-of-his-depth suburban lawyer Dennis Denuto (Tiriel Mora). But the idea of a stage version “has been with us for 30 years”, says Gleisner. “We’ve written drafts, got very excited about it, then we get distracted or something comes along.”The idea of a stage production “first came on day two or three of filming”, Gleisner continues. “Santo wandered over to Rob, who was busy directing, and you said …”“I said, ‘Jeez, this would make a good play’,” says Cilauro.“And Rob said,” says Gleisner, picking up the baton in this well-rehearsed exchange before handing it over to Sitch …“‘I reckon we finish the film first’,” Sitch obliges.In fact, the production that lands at Her Majesty’s next March won’t be the first stage version. About 20 years ago, they agreed to let a school do it live, using the screenplay. The school even got Cilauro to come along and watch it.“Right from the start, ‘my name is Dale Kerrigan, this is my story’, I just thought, ‘oh my God, this feels great’,” Cilauro says.All are hoping that’s the response audiences will have when they see it next year. “We’d love to encourage people who probably don’t go to the theatre,” says Kennedy. “We think it’s a great opportunity to go to a beautiful old theatre, have a big night out, it’s a bit of a treat.”They’re not ready to announce cast yet, but that’s not far off, they insist. But there’s one thing they are ready to let slip.“It’s not a musical,” Kennedy says firmly.They did consider that possibility, she adds, and there were some well-regarded people in the business who urged them to go that way. “But we felt it’s so familiar to people that the lines are almost like the songs.”Alongside those famous numbers – This One’s Going Straight to the Pool Room, Tell Him He’s Dreaming, What Do You Call This, Luv? – there’ll be all the other elements that have made The Castle resonate with so many of us for so long.“Bonnie Doon will make an appearance,” Kennedy says, referring to the lake-side shack where the Kerrigans go to soak up the serenity.“The planes and power lines, everything you love about the film will hopefully be there,” adds Gleisner, “but with a million surprises.”Officially, this celebration of Aussie suburban life is slated for a “strictly limited run” of less than a month. But with the combined talents of Working Dog and theatrical company Michael Cassel Group powering it, you’d be mad to bet against it having staying power well beyond that.Could it also run 30 years, though? There’s no harm in dreamin’.The Castle On Stage will be at Her Majesty’s Theatre, Melbourne from March 27 to April 18, 2027. Tickets are on sale now at www.thecastleonstage.com.auFrom our partners