David Williamson AO: The years of writing dangerously

A man whose name is now synonymous with Australian theatre, David Williamson shot to prominence in the early 70s with Don’s Party and The Removalists and never looked back. He is so prolific that it’s hard to imagine anyone in this country who hasn’t seen one of his works, whether it’s plays like The Club, Emerald City, or Soulmates or his screenplays which include Gallipoli and The Year of Living Dangerously.

His 2010 play Rhinestone Rex and Miss Monica is playing now at the Ensemble Theatre, with Glenn Hazeldine and Georgie Parker reprising their roles from the original production. In this conversation, David talks about this production and tells stories from his long and illustrious career, giving some great insights into his writing. He recalls what Australian theatre looked like when he was starting out and how it has developed since.