David Williamson

David Williamson (born 19 February, 1942) is one of Australia's most well-known playwrights who has also developed screenplays for film and television. Williamson was born in Melbourne but brought up in Bairnsdale, Victoria. He initially studied mechanical engineering at Monash University from which he graduated in 1964 and worked briefly as an engineer for General Motors Holden. After a stint as a lecturer for Swinburne University, he turned to writing plays in 1967.

Williamson rose to prominence in the early 1970s, with works such as Don's Party (1971) (later turned into a 1976 film), a comic drama set during an Australian federal election; and The Removalists (1971). He also collaborated on the screenplays for Gallipoli (1980) and The Year of Living Dangerously (1982). Williamson's work as a playwright focuses on themes of politics, loyalty and family in contemporary urban Australia, particularly its two major cities: Melbourne and Sydney.

Major works include "The Club", "The Department", "Travelling North", "The Perfectionist", "Emerald City", "Money and Friends" and "Brilliant Lies".

Recent work has included Dead White Males, which deals with university ethics, Up For Grabs, which starred Madonna in its London premiere and the Jack Manning Trilogy (Face To Face, Conversation, Charitable Intent) which take as their format community conferencing, a new form of restorative justice which Wiliamson became interested in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

In recent years he has alternated work between larger stages (including "Soul Mates", "Amigos" and "Influence" - all premiered with the Sydney Theatre Company) and smaller ones (including the Manning trilogy, "Flatfoot" and "Operator", which premiered at the Ensemble Theatre). However, in 2005, he announced his retirement from main-stage productions.

Williamson was instrumental in the founding of a cultural festival in Noosa, Queensland, titled Noosa Longweekend Festival.

Personal

He is married to Kristin Williamson and lives on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

Full List of Plays by David Williamson

• The Coming of the Stork (1970)
• The Removalists (1971)
• Don's Party (1971)
• Jugglers Three (1972)
• What If You Died Tomorrow? (1973)
• The Department (1975)
• A Handful of Friends (1976)
• The Club (1977)
• Travelling North (1979)
• Celluoid Heroes (1980)
• The Perfectionist (1982)
• Sons of Cain (1985)
• Emerald City (1987)
• Top Silk (1989)
• Siren (1990)
• Money and Friends (1991)
• Brilliant Lies (1993)
• Sanctuary (1994)
• Dead White Males (1995)
• Heretic (1996)
• Third World Blues (1997, An Adaptation Of Jugglers Three)
• After The Ball (1997)
• Corporate Vibes (1999)
• Face to Face (2000)
• The Great Man (2000)
• Up For Grabs (2001)
• A Conversation (2001)
• Charitable Intent (2001)
• Soulmates (2002)
• Amigos (2004)
• Influence (2005)

Sydney Theatre Company Box Office Revenue from David Williamson Plays

1982 The Perfectionist $357,088 1985 Sons of Cain $382,771 1987 Emerald City $707,918 1990 Siren $624,626 1992 Money and Friends $1.221 million 1993 Brilliant Lies $851,000 1995 Dead White Males $1.184 million 1996 Heretic $1.29 million 1997 Third World Blues $771,822 1998 After the Ball $1.132 million 1999 Corporate Vibes $1.409 million 2000 The Great Man $1.289 million 2001 Up for Grabs $1.25 million 2002 Soulmates $1.333 million 2003 The Club $1.387 million (remake) 2004 Amigos $1.405 million 2005 Influence $1.719 million

Source: Sydney Morning Herald