The Playwrights Database
BARRY DICKINS
(1949 - )
Nationality:
Australian
email:
n/a
Website:
n/a
Literary Agent:
n/a
Barry Dickins was born in the Melbourne suburb of Reservoir. Leaving school early he worked in a factory and then as a set-painter for television. Through his association with La Mama Theatre, his first play, Ghosts, was performed in 1974. He has subsequently written a further nine plays. His play Remember Ronald Ryan won him the 1995 Victorian Premier's Literary Award. He has also written short stories, biography and other non-fiction and children's books. In 2009, he published his memoirs Unparalleled Sorrow, which discusses his career and his battle with depression. 2015 will see the publication by Black Pepper of A Line Drawing of My Father, a memoir of the authors' father Len Dickins who served in the Second World War and was a commercial printer thereafter. It also gives a portrait of the working class northern suburbs of Melbourne. Dickins is poet-in-residence at Genazzano Girls Secondary College.
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below is a list of Barry Dickins's plays - click on a Play Title for more information
All Of Which Are American Dreams
Banana Bender, The
Beautland
Bedlam Autos
Believe Me, Oscar Wilde
Between Engagements
Bridal Suite, The
Couple Of Broken Hearts, A
Death Of Minnie, The
Dickins' Christmas, A
Eat Your Greens
Fool's Shoe Hotel, The
Ghosts
Golden Goldenbergs, The
Graeme King Lear
Great Oscar Wilde Trial, The
Green Room
Horror Of Suburban Nature Strips, The
Hymie
Insouciance
Interview, The
Ken Wright Show, The
Kind Of Fabulous Hatred, A
Lennie Lower
Lost In Ringwood
Mag And Bag
More Greenroom
One Woman Shoe
Only An Old Kitbag
Perfect English
Real Thring, The
Remember Ronald Ryan
Reservoir By Night
Rotten Teeth Show, The
Royboys
Ryan
All Of Which Are American Dreams
Synopsis:
This large-scale collaborative work. . . takes as its central theme the corruption of America. . .. Its most powerful medium is metaphorical, expressed in an acting group that is freakish, violent . . . frightened and frightening.
Notes:
written by Barry Dickins, Ben Ellis,Melissa Reeves, Robert Reid and Stephen Sewell
1st Produced:
Theatreworks, St Kilda, Vic
04 Jul 2003
Organisations:
Theatre in Decay
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
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Genre:
piece
Parts:
Male: 7 Female: 7 Other: -
Further Reference:
http://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/29257
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Banana Bender, The
Farce about a religious fanatic living on a camping site in Queensland with his mother.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Sydney : in the Banana Bender / the Death of Minnie, Currency Press, 1981 978-0868190532
Music:
-
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Genre:
Farce One act
Parts:
Male: 1 Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Beautland
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Playhouse, Adelaidefestival Centre, Australia
04 May 1985
Organisations:
State Theatre Company of South Australia.
1st Published:
Sydney : Currency Press, 1985 -
Music:
-
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Genre:
Satire
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: large cast
Further Reference:
-
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Bedlam Autos
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Melbourne
1989
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
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Genre:
-
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Believe Me, Oscar Wilde
Synopsis:
the life of Oscar Wilde
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Lamama Theatre, Melbourne
2001
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
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Genre:
Monologue Play
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Between Engagements
Synopsis:
Plight of Australian actors desperate for work but parts for Australians are not being written
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
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Genre:
-
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Bridal Suite, The
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Montmorency, Vic. : Yackandandah Playscripts, 1985 -
Music:
-
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Genre:
Stage play One act
Parts:
Male: - Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia.http://library.uq.edu.au/search~S7?/tthe+Hanger+Collection+of+Australian+Playscripts/thanger+collection+of+Australian+playscripts/-3,-1,0,B/browse >>>,
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Couple Of Broken Hearts, A
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Melbourne
1982
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
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Genre:
2 acts Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: 5 Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia. http://www.Austlit.edu.au, http://www.Austlit.edu.au >>>,
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Death Of Minnie, The
a Polish Immigrant woman living in Melbourne's Fitzroy decides to commit suicide on her 40th birthday.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Playbox Theatre Upstairs, Melbourne
10 Jul 1980
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Sydney : in the Banana Bender / the Death of Minnie, Currency Press, 1981 978-0868190532
Music:
-
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Genre:
Tragi-comedy One act
Parts:
Male: - Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Dickins' Christmas, A
Synopsis:
Subject: Dickens, Charles, 1812-1870 -- Parodies, imitations, etc. Reset to Melbourne in the mid fifties.
Notes:
by Barry dickins in collaboration with William Gluth
1st Produced:
Playbox, Melbourne
30 Nov 1992
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Sydney ; Melbourne : Currency Press : Playbox Theatre Centre of Monash University, 1992
http://australianplays.org/script/ASC-1655 978-0868193489
Music:
-
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Genre:
comedy Play with music
Parts:
Male: 5 Female: 2 Other: with doubling
Further Reference:
-
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Eat Your Greens
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Melbourne
1987
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
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Genre:
-
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Fool's Shoe Hotel, The
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
from A radio play; by K.G. Fish.
1st Produced:
Australian Performing Group, Pram Factory, Melbourne
15 Aug 1978
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Montmorency, Vic : Yackandandah Playscripts Series 6, 1987 -
Music:
-
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Genre:
One act
Parts:
Male: 8 Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia.http://library.uq.edu.au/search~S7?/tthe+Hanger+Collection+of+Australian+Playscripts/thanger+collection+of+Australian+playscripts/-3,-1,0,B/browse >>>,
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Ghosts
Synopsis:
deals with the futile struggle to escape outdated ideals. a mother tries to shield her son from the moral and sexual lapses of his late father.
Notes:
Original Playwright - Henrik Ibsen
1st Produced:
Melbourne
1975
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
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Genre:
adaptation
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Golden Goldenbergs, The
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Playbox, Melbourne
05 Aug 1981
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
in Short Plays for the Australian Stage volume I, Yackandandah, Montmorency, Victoria, 1987 978-0868050669
Music:
-
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Genre:
-
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Graeme King Lear
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Melbourne
1983
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
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Genre:
-
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Great Oscar Wilde Trial, The
Synopsis:
the trials of Oscar Wilde
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Melbourne
1977
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
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Genre:
Drama
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Green Room
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Montmorency, Vic : Yackandandah Playscripts Series 11, 1993 -
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
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Genre:
Monologue Comedy
Parts:
Male: - Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Horror Of Suburban Nature Strips, The
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
aka Mag And Bag
1st Produced:
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Montmorency, Vic. : Yackandandah Playscripts Series 4, 1985 -
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
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Genre:
Comedy
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Hymie
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Melbourne
1991
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
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Genre:
-
Parts:
Male: - Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Insouciance
an exploration of familial relationships, centred on the love binding a maniacal mother, her anxiety-ridden husband and their long-suffering son.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Playbox, Melbourne
25 Jul 2001
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Sydney : Currency Press, 2001 (published with Jack Hibberd's the Prodigal Son)
http://australianplays.org/script/ASC-1650 978-0868196442
Music:
-
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Genre:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Interview, The
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Melbourne
1976
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
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Genre:
-
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Ken Wright Show, The
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Melbourne
1980
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
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Genre:
Stage play. 16 scenes One act
Parts:
Male: 10 Female: 5 Other: -
Further Reference:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia. http://www.Austlit.edu.au, http://www.Austlit.edu.au >>>,
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Kind Of Fabulous Hatred, A
Synopsis:
Set on the night of the poet Sylvia Plath's suicide, this is a complex, insightful and often very funny portrait of a mind in turmoil.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
12 Sep 2013
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
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Genre:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: - Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Lennie Lower
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Playbox, Melbourne
18 Feb 1982
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Montmorency, Vic : Yackandandah Playscripts Series 1, 1982 -
Music:
-
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Genre:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: 1 Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Lost In Ringwood
Synopsis:
Two extremely solitary women, powered by mist and rude thought, appear to be performers in a farce straight from the West End. . .or Geelong. Rose Viper hates her daughter Cynthia, who reciprocates. Each minute is divided into real life pathos and all too-real potential tragedy. they refuse help but welcome torture.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
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Genre:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: - Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Mag And Bag
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
see Horror Of Suburban Nature Strips, the (above)
1st Produced:
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Montmorency, Vic. : Yackandandah Playscripts Series 4, 1985 -
Music:
-
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Genre:
Comedy
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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More Greenroom
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Melbourne
1986
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
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Genre:
-
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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One Woman Shoe
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Montmorency, Vic : Yackandandah Playscripts Series 3, 1984 978-0868050102
Music:
-
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Genre:
Monologue
Parts:
Male: - Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Only An Old Kitbag
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Melbourne
1977
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
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Genre:
-
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of Page
Perfect English
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Melbourne
1990
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
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Genre:
-
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Real Thring, The
Synopsis:
the Real Thring searches and discovers Frank Thring's soul and spirit and resurrects his endless erection. To be shocking was the only thing that didn't bore Thring. He was and is an ignored gay icon until this tribute to his inimitable panache. He was outrageous in death as well as life. He remains the most famous actor, the most feared drunkard, the most missed enigma. He was fun and a ham and a genius. He was everywhere in the fifties, sixties, seventies and eighties. He delighted in shocking audiences and drank as though there were no tomorrows. In the the Real Thring you shall see that Thring is beautiful and confused, just as the sun is or the moon is, from time to time. This a play of faith for all who truly love those who have buoyed us.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Triple R Performance Space, Melbourne, Australia
12 Sep 2008
Organisations:
Hoy Polloy
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
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Genre:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Remember Ronald Ryan
Synopsis:
the hanging in 1967 that ended capital punishment in Australia.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Playbox, Melbourne
21 Sep 1994
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Paddington, N.S.W : Currency Press, 1994 978-0868193922
Music:
-
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Genre:
full length biographical monodrama
Parts:
Male: 1 Female: - Other: playing 25M, 9F
Further Reference:
-
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Reservoir By Night
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Melbourne
1986
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
-
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Rotten Teeth Show, The
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Melbourne
1978
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
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If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
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Genre:
-
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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Royboys
Synopsis:
Follows the fantastic footballing fortunes of the battling Noble Family.
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Playbox Theatre, The Studio, Vac, Melbourne, Melbourne
01 Mar 1987
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Paddington, N.S.W : Currency Press in association with Playbox Theatre Company Melbourne, 1987 978-0868191775
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
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Genre:
2 act 60 mins Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 2 Other: 1 musician
Further Reference:
-
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Ryan
Synopsis:
the hanging or Ronald Ryan in 1967 hardened public opinion against capital punishment in Australia and his was the last death at the hands of the State in this country
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
-
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
- -
Music:
-
To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies
Booksellers:
Genre:
-
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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