Playwrights forum at the Queensland Library

MEDIA RELEASE COURTESY OF: STATE LIBRARY OF QUEENSLAND

Hot New York playwright Will Eno joins Australia’s most prominent playwrights David Williamson and Michael Gow in Staged Lives: a conversation on theatre, writing and the line between life and fiction on March 9 at State Library of Queensland.

Jane O’Hara, Brisbane Writers Festival Director and host for the evening says:

“Audiences can engage in an open discussion with three very talented and different writers – Michael’s work is a well-crafted mix of the personal and the political, with touches of the fantastic and a ready wit, whereas Will Eno’s writing is considered subversive, challenging and evocative. Australians universally acknowledge the popular appeal of David’s writing and the incredible craft that goes into reflecting our politics, society and foibles on stage”.

David Williamson comments: “Staged Lives is a great conversation to have; we’ll be discussing how our life experiences inform our plays, where Australian and international theatre is heading and how different writers approach creating new work.”

Staged Lives is a State of Writing event presented by Queensland Theatre Company, Playlab and State Library of Queensland. Audiences will get the chance to meet the playwrights afterwards and enjoy a drink. Will Eno and David Williamson are in Brisbane promoting their productions Thom Pain (based on nothing) and Let the Sunshine, respectively, presented by Queensland Theatre Company. Michael Gow’s Toy Symphony is currently touring Australia.

About the Playwrights:

David Williamson is one of Australia’s premier playwrights and is a Member of the Order of Australia. Since 1970 he has written over forty plays which have been produced across Australia’s theatre companies and internationally. Audience favourites include The Removalists, Don’s Party, The Club, Travelling North, Emerald City, Brilliant Lies, Influence and 2009’s Let the Sunshine.

Michael Gow is both a renowned playwright and Artistic Director for Queensland Theatre Company. His plays include the multi-award winning Toy Symphony, Away, The Kid, On Top of The World, Europe, 1841, the award winning Furious and Sweet Phoebe as well as Live Acts on Stage and the adaptation of The Fortunes of Richard Mahony. He wrote the screenplay for the mini-series Edens Lost, directed by Neil Armfield, for which he won an AFI Award.

Will Eno has been described as “a maverick wordsmith” by the Guardian, his work has been successfully produced across the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Australia and he is the recipient of numerous awards, including a Pulitzer Prize nomination for Thom Pain (based on nothing). Will is a Fellow of the Edward F. Albee Foundation and he was a Hodder Fellow at Princeton University, where he taught playwriting.

Date: Tuesday 9 March
Tickets: Free, RSVP essential
Email: info@playlab.org.au
Phone: 07 3220 0841
Venue: The State Library of Queensland Auditorium 2