'Enrique 'Topo' Rodriguez played Rugby Union for Australia in the 1984 Grand Slam tour of the United Kingdom. He retired from playing rugby in 1987 and became extremely ill with depressive episodes lasting continuously for eight years before he was diagnosed with bipolar mood disorder.
'The play describes theatrically the 1984 tour, his coach Alan Jones and Mark Ella, an Aboriginal player who was happy to retire early at the end of the tour. On the other hand, Topo continued on with his career for several years. While he was playing rugby depression was dormant, and then it surfaces immediately after he stopped playing leading to extreme unhappiness.
'The play traces the triumph, and tribulations, of the coach, the two players, contrasting the differences in each others lives. The play is a keen insight into the effects of melancholia and depression on an otherwise high achieving and healthy person's life.'
Source: Seymour Centre website, http://www.seymour.usyd.edu.au/
Sighted: 28 May 2007.
Writing Disability in Australia:
| Type of disability | Bipolar disorder. |
| Type of character | Primary. |
| Point of view | Third person (drama). |
The play features Peter Hosking as Topo Rodriguez, Isaak Drandich as Mark Ella, Shane McNamara as Alan Jones and Billy McPherson in several roles.
