Australian Theatre
An Overview
Early History
Australia’s first settlers sought to
reproduce the theatre they had left behind
when they arrived here in the late 18th
century
 Because Australia was a convict
settlement this produced interesting
results, as conditions could not have been
more different
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Port Arthur Convict Settlement,
Tasmania
It is believed the first play was performed
in a small mud hut in 1789
 At that time Restoration comedy was
popular in England so that was the style of
drama copied here
 Restoration comedy was based on the
manners and lifestyles of the aristocracy,
or rich people
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Restoration Comedy
Convict Theatre
During the 1800’s convicts engaged in
acting and staging many plays
 This was vigorously opposed by many
 Drama seemed like too much fun and
enjoyment and convicts were supposed to
being punished not rewarded for their
crimes
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Convict chain gangs
The Plays
Much of the drama was from England
 A few Australian plays were now being
written
- eg, The Bushrangers by David Burn in
1829
Plays like this about the convicts’ conditions,
bushrangers, etc, were not allowed to be
performed because they described the
terrible conditions of life for the convicts.
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Edward Geoghegan wrote his play “The
Currency Lass” in 1844
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Legislation was passed by the government
declaring that plays had to meet certain
conditions before they could be performed
Opening of Theatres
In 1833 the Sydney Theatre Royal opened
 It imitated an English theatre
 It had a proscenium arch stage
 It set the standard for other Australian
states to follow
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Sydney Theatre Royal
Audiences enjoyed light entertainment
 Life in Australia was hard at that time
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However there were problems because
theatre was badly organised
1850’s Gold Rushes
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Gold was discovered in 1850
A rush of people arrived in Australia to search
for gold and make their fortunes
More people were going to the theatres
New theatres were being built
George Coppin, an entrepreneur invited an
American performer, J. C. Williamson, to come
to Australia to perform.
Williamson enjoyed great success
A Gold Miner’s Licence
George Coppin
J. C. Williamson
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He was married to Maggie Moore
They both acted and managed their successful
plays
The plays were all musicals from overseas
They encouraged overseas stars to tour
One of these was the famous actress Sarah
Bernhardt
Overseas performers had to travel to Australia
by ship
J C Williamson
Maggie Moore, his wife
The married couple, both actors
Sarah Bernhardt
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Audiences loved the overseas entertainers
but this discouraged the writing and
staging of home grown Australian plays
Vaudeville dominated the stages of the
1890’s
 Vaudeville was a variety style with music,
dancing and comedy skits
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Vaudeville Examples
Acceptance of Australian Content
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Radio developed in the 1920’s
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Quiz shows, radio plays (serials and
dramas) developed with a uniquely
Australian flavour
In 1954 the Australian Elizabethan Trust
was set up
 This gave Australian drama the
opportunity to come to the foreground in
Australian theatres
 The aims of the trust were to encourage
Australian writing and performers

Playwright – Ray Lawler
“Summer of the Seventeenth Doll”
 A great success with critics and audiences
 A realistic play about two North
Queensland cane cutters, Barney and Roo,
who came down to Melbourne where they
meet and develop relationships with nancy
and Olive
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Ray Lawler
Summer of the Seventeenth Doll
It was both moving and funny
 It changed Australian theatre forever
 It gave permission for Australians to
support their own culture, rather than
Australian work being seen as second rate
compared with English and American
works
 Many other Australian plays soon followed
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The Introduction of TV in Australia
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1956 was the dawn of television in
Australia
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It meant that actors, directors and writers
had another avenue for their work
NIDA
Another milestone for Australian theatre was the
establishment of NIDA in 1958
 NIDA – National Institute for Dramatic Art
 NIDA has profoundly impacted the training of
Australian actors, directors and designers. Mel
Gibson and Nicole Kidman were both students at
NIDA
 Other states introduced their own courses in
dramatic arts – Victorian College of the Arts in
Victoria
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The Sixties
Life was moving rapidly during the 1960’s
 It was a time of great change and
upheaval
 Much experimentation was happening in
drama around the world. People struggled
to make sense of it all
 Alternative theatre required little money
and much innovation and
experimentation. It thrived.
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Australian Playwrights
John Romeril
 Jack Hibberd
 David Williamson
 Barry Oakley
 Tim Roberts
 Barry Dickens
 Louis Nowra
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Female playwrights of the late 20th
and early 21st centuries
Joanna Murray-Smith
 Hannie Rayson
 Alma de Groen
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Indigenous Drama
Stolen by Jane Harrison
 Yanagai! Yanagai!
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“Stolen” by Jane Harrison
Yanagai! Yanagai!
Australian Theatre Today
After initial experimentation and searching
for an identity, Australian theatre has
become diverse
 Playwrights have broadened their views
and theie world
 Louis Nowra, Stephen Sewell, Ron Elisha,
Michael Gow have been praised for their
plays
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Many community theatres have been established
 Community theatre groups are created to meet
the needs of particular groups
 Limited grants are distributed by various
government bodies to support the arts
 Even major theatre companies like Melbourne
Theatre Company and The Malthouse rely on
government grants and sponsorship from
business
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Although the big American and English
blockbuster musicals, like Miss Saigon, still
receive the greatest box office support
(they sell the most tickets), the richness
and diversity of mainstream and
alternative Australian theatre continues to
survive
Miss Saigon
Theatre Companies
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MTC Melbourne Theatre Company
The Malthouse
La Mama
Bell Shakespeare
And many others
You can check out the websites of these
companies or look for their up coming shows in
major newspapers.