Entertainment
4 June, 2026
‘Hilarious’ small-town play
LAUGHTER, chaos and four sold-out shows marked the triumphant return of Gumboot Theatre Company in 2026, as audiences packed the El Arish RSL Memorial Hall to be swept into the riotous wedding reception of ‘Dimboola.’
The immersive theatre restaurant experience had guests eating, drinking and dodging family feuds, as they became part of the hilariously dysfunctional union of the Delaneys and McAdams.
The Australian classic, written by Jack Hibberd and set in the late 1960s in the town of Dimboola, Victoria, brings together a Catholic bride’s family and a Protestant groom’s family in a satirical send up of small town tensions, class divides and social rituals.
Though some elements are considered politically incorrect today, the play remains a beloved snapshot of Australian humour and humanity.
Mr Hibberd wrote nearly 40 plays during his career, but Dimboola became his most famous.
It premiered at La Mama Theatre in 1969, under the direction of Graeme Blundell and was later adapted into a feature film in 1979.
The bawdy and boisterous 2026 production featured a strong local cast including Georgia McCall (Maureen Delaney), Jeremy Norman (Morrie McAdam), Kevin O’Grady (Daryl Dunn), Kenneth Cole (Angus McAdam), Pauline Columbini (Shirl), Raelene Miller (Astrid McAdam), Jane Henley (April Delaney), Lydia Norton (Florence McAdam), William Moran (Darcy Delaney), Lynne Ray (Mavis McAdam), Tony Smith (Horace McAdam), Kathy Macdonald (Aggie McAdam), Wayne Kimberley (Father Patrick O’Shea), David Eaton (Mutton), Paul Lardi (Bayonet) and Bob Tinknell (reporter). The band featured Lyle Peterson, Colin Bufi, Wayne Morris and Deb Watson.
This latest production was dedicated to the theatre group’s beloved member and former president Perry Walton, who died last year.
The show drew glowing praise, with reviewer Don Sanderson describing it as “hilarious, lively and engaging with terrific comic timing, strong performances and infectious enthusiasm.”
He praised the community spirit, teamwork, creativity and attention to detail that made the production “a shining example of community theatre at its best.”
Audience members echoed the sentiment. Shirley Morrison said: “It was a fantastic evening, and I haven’t laughed so much for ages,” while Deidre Holmes congratulated the cast and crew, calling it “entertainment with a capital E.”
The cast extended thanks to assistant directors Lydia Norton and Kathy Macdonald, Rhonda Walton (president and prompt), Maddie Walton and Danielle Anderson for stepping in during absences, Kent Gibbons for sound and headsets, Mark Morrison for additional lighting, and Cassowary Coast Regional Council for an RADF grant supporting hall hire and microphone purchases.
Gumboot Theatre, named after Tully’s iconic Golden Gumboot, formed in 2019 to stage ‘Summer of the Seventeenth Doll’ for the El Arish centenary before COVID-19 halted rehearsals.
Undeterred, the group debuted in 2020 with ‘The Golden Legion of Cleaning Women,’ followed in 2021 by the murder mystery dinner show ‘Lights, Camera, Murder,’ which toured to El Arish, Tully, Cardwell and Ravenshoe. Their last performances before hiatus were the comedic one act plays ‘Hotspots’ and ‘Give Way’ in late 2021.
This year’s return with ‘Dimboola’ marks another milestone for the thriving community theatre company.
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