When the Premier and Minister for the Arts Jeff Kennett launched Melbourne Theatre Company's 1998 season last September, he shared with the assembled VIPs his dream of promoting greater links between the arts and sport in Melbourne.

L to R John Wood, Max Gillies, Jeremy Stanford and Gary Sweet in The Club Photography Jeff Busby

In reporting on the season launch, The Age quoted Mr Kennett as saying:"I honestly believe that the relationship between the arts and sport is going to see tremendous growth in attendance and participation by a much younger age group than is currently perceived to be the audience that supports the arts."

This followed the announcement that the Company's 1998 lineup would include the 21st anniversary production of David Williamson's classic comedy about football, The Club, directed by Associate Director Bruce Myles, and proudly sponsored by long-time MTC sponsors Andersen Consulting.

The world premiere of Williamson's play had been an instant smash hit for the Company in 1977 and since then it has amassed fans around the world. To celebrate its coming-of-age in 1998, MTC was bringing it back to the home of Australian Rules with an all-star cast: Max Gillies - The Gillies Report, Gary Sweet - Police Rescue, John Wood - Blue Heelers, Vince Colosimo - Wogboys, Matthew Dyktynski - Love and Other Catastrophes and Jeremy Stanford - Buddy!

The Premier's prediction proved prescient. Eight months later, on 12 May, MTC's revival of The Club opened at the Victorian Arts Centre's Playhouse to tremendous acclaim from an opening night audience that included not only arts industry heavyweights, but also sports reporters and most of the players and management of the Collingwood Football Club. Williamson's play is believed to have been inspired by the 'Pies' boardroom dealings in the '70s and Collingwood proved to be tremendously supportive of this revival.

The critics loved it and the public responded in kind. On the Monday following opening night the show set a new MTC box office record for a straight (ie non-musical) play, taking over $38,000 in ticket sales in the one day.

It's not every MTC production that can be profiled on both the arts pages of The Age AND Channel Nine's Wide World of Sport, but this 'Club' captured the imagination of Melbourne with all the right moves.