The revealing and candid memoir of Australia's legendary playwright
and screenwriter The definitive memoir of David Williamson, author
of iconic dramas such as The Removalists, The Club, Don's Party,
Emerald City and Travelling North, as well as more than fifty other
plays, explores the life of the writer and the true stories and
real lives that inspired his works. A powerful force in theatre
since the 1970s, Williamson's plays have uniquely explored the
pulse of our Australianness. After five decades of chronicling the
blunders, mishaps and messes that he and his fellow Australians got
themselves into, Williamson has penned his long-awaited memoir,
Home Truths. It reveals the story of the man behind the work: how a
childhood defined by marital discord sparked a lifelong fascination
with the power of drama to explore emotional conflict; how a
mechanical engineering student became our most successful
playwright; the anxiety that plagued him as he crafted his plays;
the joy of connecting with an audience and the enduring sting of
the critics; and the great love story that defined his personal
life. Fearless, candid and witty, Williamson also writes about the
plethora of odd, interesting, caustic and brilliant people -
actors, directors, writers, theatre critics, politicians - who have
intersected with his life and work: from a young Jacki Weaver and
Chris Haywood in the first Sydney production of The Removalists in
1971 to Nicole Kidman on the brink of stardom in the 1988 feature
film of Emerald City and lively dinners with political powerhouse
Paul Keating; and from Graham Kennedy in the 1976 film version of
Don's Party through eventful overseas travels with Gareth Evans,
Peter Carey and Tim Winton to a West End production of Up for Grabs
starring Madonna, and the satisfaction of seeing his sons Felix and
Rory tread the boards in several of his own plays. Praise for David
Williamson: 'Australia's most enduringly popular social comedy
writer ... keenly observant and satirical.' The Sydney Morning
Herald 'Williamson always keeps us engaged ... his words weave a
spellbinding course ... testament to the power of [his] language.'
The Daily Telegraph 'Our greatest dramatic entertainer.' Chris
Boyd, Financial Review 'His genius has been to define for us, in
advance of our own recognition, the qualities which make up the
Australian character.' Katharine Brisbane, The Australian 'It would
be impossible to fault Williamson for not being brutally honest.'
Jasper Lindell, Canberra Times 'Known for his sharp wit, brutal
dialogue and fierce politics, Williamson's book is savage, funny
and tender in equal parts. It's also first-class eyewitness
cultural history.' Filmink 'Home Truths unfurls a sweeping and
surprising life. It is a potpourri of Australian middle-class
mores, exiting cultural schisms in the nation's theatre fuelled by
young men and women who would go on to change the face of stage and
screen, the politics of the day, love trysts and betrayal,
backstage drama, fame and financial success, family, enemies made
and friends lost, marriage and divorce, all backdropped by
Williamson's remarkable work.' Matthew Condon, The Australian '...
the overall momentum is powerfully sustained. Home Truths is as
much a collective portrait as a self-portrait, and anyone who picks
it up is likely to be carried on by the surge and the propulsion.'
Peter Craven, Sydney Morning Herald 'Like so many of his plays, it
is name-dropping, gossipy and wonderfully entertaining.' Susan
Lever, Inside Story 'The book is packed with detail, personal and
professional, as he covers his life step by step, highs and lows,
plenty of each.' NZ Listener
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!