David Williamson has had an enormous influence on Australian theatrical life. In his talk at the recent Dymocks Literary lunch where he was interviewed by entertainment reporter Garry Maddox, he acknowledged that he was the first playwright to give theatre an Australian voice with an unashamedly Australian accent. 

In his early days he grew up in Melbourne and did at University a Mechanical Engineering degree. The Mechanical Engineering students  held an annual revue which had the reputation of being rather scandalous and risque. 

However it took a few years for Williamson to plunge into a revolutionary vocation.

At the time in Melbourne John Sumner ruled theatrical content. Sumner believed that we colonials needed to have a heavy dose of Shakespeare and other English classics delivered in a lofty English accent. As a result many Australian actors felt compelled to go to England to acquire a post accent. 

However at hat time an Australian accent with a wicked wit was emerging in the form of Barry Humphrey’s’ Edna Everage. She and other characters with their quintessential Australaness proved hugely popular and triumphed nationally.

Williamson saw the Zeitgeist and with third play ‘The Removalist’ about police brutality blew the roof off Sumner’s narrow English accented view. 

Williamson’s plays vacuumed the brilliant output of such teaching organisations as newly established NIDA and obviated their need to travel abroad. 

‘Don’s Party’ followed which cemented his role as the sharp edged mirror reflecting Australia’s political and social concerns. 

I expected there would be some theatrical types in the audience, but they were mainly his devoted fans enjoying his bon mots.

Garry  Maddox asked why Williamson felt the need to do a memoir after his journalist wife Kristin Williamson had written a comprehensive biography of his life. He wittily replied that he had to correct some of her mistakes. However in reality he felt the necessity to produce an account of what he saw as personal human failings.

Maddox asked what happened when Williamson seemed to break from the Sydney Theatre  Company. It occurred at the time of the Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton tenure at the Company. 

Despite having his most successful play that year Blanchett and Upton believed that plays should be more actor focused with universal themes which could be shown on Broadway. In this they spectacularly succeeded. 

However there could be no place for Williamson’s Australian accented and thematic concerns which would not interest a Broadway audience. 

At home our thirst for the next Williamson play continued and he found a new spiritual home at the Ensemble Theatre. 

Williamson dwelt on his move from Melbourne to Sydney and was disparaging about Melbourne’s climate. He mentioned that in  Melbourne winter the grass was gray and in summer  the grass was brown.

In Sydney’s warmer climate Williamson enjoyed the vividness of Sydney’s colours and, in particular how intensely green the grass was. This led to the production of ‘Emerald City’ which pointed out some of the harbour city’s failings as well as its virtues.

A member of the audience asked if he ever had writer’s block. He replied that with five children to feed and clothe he could not afford to have writer’s block. 

Another fan queried that at the preview runs of his play he seemed to be laughing at his own jokes. Once again he replied that he was not laughing at his own jokes but reacting to an actor’s brilliant comic interpretations of his lines. 

The most humorous question of all came from a senior gentleman who stated that he was 94 years old and asked when he can see a Williamson play in the near future?

Williamson replied that after having written 54 plays he had now stopped writing for the theatre.  

As a result of ill health Williamson decided to move to the warm climate of the Gold Coast. Although his wife was reluctant to leave the vibrancy of the Sydney scene and to live a more tranquil life which she has adapted to. Nevertheless he has kept a ‘bolthole’ in Sydney so that he can come down and view any major productions of his work.

Williamson found the writing of his memoirs quite liberating as he was not confined by the strictures of playwriting.

Despite all the accolades  and acknowledgements his proudest legacy was the fact that he had a loving wife, five children and 14 grandchildren. 

Williamson was extremely wary of the way that the eldest members of his grandchildren who were ready to pounce at the gossip about their grandfather.

Article and photos by Ben Apfelbaum