Community
12 August, 2026
Mary returns for exciting show
COBDEN local Mary Steuten will return to the district this Sunday with a performance of The Deplorables in Camperdown, which tells the story of the first known all women’s cricket match in history.
Ms Steuten first came to Cobden in 1972 midway through her Prep year, settling into the town with her family.
She lived there until she moved for university in 1985, going to the big city to chase her dreams.
“I was inspired to get into the arts when I was at school and we saw a performance – I was just so thrilled that it was a possibility to do that stuff,” Ms Steuten said.
“I had another friend and we auditioned together to get into Rusden College, which is now Victoria College, to do the drama and dance course.
“My friend Brett Daffy got into the dance stream there and I ended up going and doing teaching at Melbourne University.”
Ms Steuten said the performing arts was a passion she pursued in addition to teaching special education, and she was thrilled with the opportunity to travel back to the area she grew up with her performance in The Deplorables.
The show is about the first women’s cricket match which was held in Bendigo in 1874.
“The playwright is Christine Davey, the artistic director of Skin of our Teeth Productions,” Ms Steuten said.
“She lives in the Colac area but most of the performances are held in the Geelong area at the Waurn Ponds Hall, but she often gets shows that tour regional Victoria.
“The Deplorables is also having a run in Melbourne.”
The Deplorables will be showing at the Theatre Royal in Camperdown this Sunday, August 16 from 7-9pm.
Ms Steuten said the story of the first women’s cricket match went beyond a game of sport, as it drew unbridled media attention which soon turned to outrage from the public.
“Initially the cricket match was to raise money, organised by Barbara Rae who just this year had a statue unveiled in her honour,” she said.
“There was a lot of interest and it was raising money for the destitute people, as they were called in those days.
“The local media were very supportive initially and of course, as we still see today, the media turned.
“The men were enraged, saying, ‘How dare these women do this,’ and the international press also got a hold of it.
“They were also very scathing and said terrible things about the women involved.”
Ms Steuten said despite the outcry at the time, there is very little detail recorded about the women who played in the match.
“There’s good records of the Rae family but for a number of the women we don’t even know their first names,” she said.
“There’s no record of them, even how long they lived, so a lot of license had to be taken around these women’s stories.
“Christine has given them stories, for the people there is no history of.”
Ms Steuten plays the role of Barbara’s sister, Nellie Rae, who encouraged and supported Barbara through her organisation of the cricket match.
“Nellie is a bit of a stalwart – she’s described as being the older sister who is a wall – she’s impenetrable, very loyal and incredibly supportive and proud of Barbara,” she said.
“She was also very upset and disappointed by the representation in the media and the disdain for how the women were described.”
Ms Steuten said The Deplorables was suitable for anyone aged 12 and up and it was certain to move viewers.
“It is very uplifting and people who see it will laugh, cry and they will be deeply moved – they’ll also probably get a bit angry too for the women who did this wonderful thing,” she said.
“It’s a delightful show and I’m incredibly proud to be representing Nellie, to be involved in this story and bring it to theatres.
“Everybody should know the stories of women and we should bring Australian stories to life for people.”
Tickets for The Deplorables can be purchased online at https://events.humanitix.com/the-deplorables
Read More: Cobden, Camperdown