The Playwrights Database
ALAN SEYMOUR
(1927 - 2015)
Nationality:
Australian
email:
n/a
Website:
Click here
Literary Agent:
HLA Management Pty Ltd
Alan Seymour, Also writes as: A. Seymour. Born: 6 Jun 1927 Fremantle, Western Australia ; Died: 24 Mar 2015 Sydney, New South Wales. Expatriate Departed from Australia: 1961. Alan Seymour is best known in Australia for his play The One Day of the Year that explored the way ANZAC Day is commemorated. First produced in 1961, the play ignited passionate debate. The play was also produced in London, England, in 1961 and Seymour attended the production. He was away from Australia for the next three decades writing plays, screenplays, television scripts and adapting novels for film and television. Seymour was educated in Perth, Western Australia, at Perth Modern School. After failing the Junior Certificate examination at fifteen, he left school and worked as an announcer, copy-writer and freelance writer and film critic for various commercial radio stations in Perth and in Sydney as well as for ABC radio and later television. While working for the Perth commercial radio station 6PM in the early 1940s, he wrote short radio plays which were broadcast live. From 1953 to 1957 he was theatrical director for the Sydney Opera Group. His first play, Swamp Creatures, premiered by the Canberra Repertory Society, was a finalist in the London Observer play competition in 1957. From the 1960s Seymour worked in London for the BBC and was the theatre critic for the London Magazine, 1963 to 1965. From 1966 to 1971 Seymour lived in Turkey where he continued to write stage plays as well as novels and magazine articles. From 1974 he was a script editor and occasional producer with the BBC returning to freelance writing in 1981. 'Eustace and Hilda', dramatised by Seymour from the trilogy by L.P. Hartley, won a Royal TV Society Special Creativity Award in1979 and 'Box of Delights' (BBC TV, 1984), dramatised by Seymour from the novel by John Masefield, won a BAFTA Award in 1984. Seymour returned to live in Australia in January 1995. Alan Seymour was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Western Australia in April 2002. He is the uncle of Clem Gorman (q.v.). - http://www.austlit.edu.au/austlit/page/A25039
Research: http://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/323
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below is a list of Alan Seymour's plays - click on a Play Title for more information
Break in the Music, A
Committee, The
Donny Johnson
End, The
Float, The
Gaiety of Nations, The
Oh Grave, Thy Victory
One Day of the Year, The
Pope and the Pill, The
Scream From A Dark Cellar
Shattering, The
Structures
Swamp Creatures
Wind From the Plain, The
Break in the Music, A
Synopsis:
returns to Australia to deal with family memories of life there in the 1930's and 1940's
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Perth, Perth, WA 1966
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia. http://www.Austlit.edu.au, http://www.Austlit.edu.au >>>, -
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:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 6 Other: -
Further Reference:
http://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/106307
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Committee, The
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
- -
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia. http://www.Austlit.edu.au, http://www.Austlit.edu.au >>>, -
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:
Comedy One Act
Parts:
Male: 11 Female: 2 Other: others
Further Reference:
-
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Donny Johnson
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
- 1973
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia. http://www.Austlit.edu.au, http://www.Austlit.edu.au >>>, -
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:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: 5 Female: 4 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of Page
End, The
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Newtown Theatre, Newtown, NSW 14 Jan 2004
Organisations:
Short & Sweet Sydney Week 2
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:
short play
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
http://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/79043
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Float, The
Synopsis:
the interaction of public and private in peoples lives'. Climaxes in the fictional dismissal of the Australian head of government- a glace back to the sacking of the Australian Prime Minister gough Witlam in 1975
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
The Playhouse, Adelaide, SA 13 Jun 1980
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia. http://www.Austlit.edu.au, http://www.Austlit.edu.au >>>, -
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:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: 4 Female: 4 Other: -
Further Reference:
http://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/27772
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Gaiety of Nations, The
Synopsis:
on the theme of Vietnam
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Glasgow 1965
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:
Short play One Act
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of Page
Oh Grave, Thy Victory
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Canberra 1973
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:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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One Day of the Year, The
Synopsis:
One of Australia's best known plays - About the Cook family and their friend Wacka, a Gallipoli veteran. Alf Cook is also a returned serviceman and can only relate positively to his identity as a soldier on one day of the year - ANZAC Day
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Willard Hall, Adelaide, SA 20 Jul 1960
Organisations:
Adelaide Theatre Group
1st Published:
Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1962 -
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:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
http://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/20924
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Pope and the Pill, The
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
London 1968
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:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of Page
Scream From A Dark Cellar
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
from Davis Magarshack's translation of 'Notes From A Dark Cellar' by Fyodor Dostoevsky
1st Produced:
The Hole in the Wall Theatre, Leederville, WA 1974
Organisations:
Festival of Perth
1st Published:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia. http://www.Austlit.edu.au, http://www.Austlit.edu.au >>>, -
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:
Adaptation
Parts:
Male: 9 Female: 1 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of Page
Shattering, The
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Uproduced 1971
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia. http://www.Austlit.edu.au, http://www.Austlit.edu.au >>>, -
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:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: 7 Female: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
-
Top of Page
Structures
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
The Hole in the Wall Theatre, Leederville, WA 1974
Organisations:
Festival of Perth
1st Published:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia. http://www.Austlit.edu.au, http://www.Austlit.edu.au >>>, -
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:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: 3 Female: 2 Other: -
Further Reference:
http://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/20934
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Swamp Creatures
Synopsis:
A swamp where two elderly sisters and their servant perform weird experiments
Notes:
-
1st Produced:
Riverside Theatre, Barton, ACT 01 Nov 1957
Organisations:
-
1st Published:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia. http://www.Austlit.edu.au, http://www.Austlit.edu.au >>>, 1955 -
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:
Play/Drama
Parts:
Male: 2 Female: 3 Other: -
Further Reference:
http://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/70154
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Wind From the Plain, The
Synopsis:
-
Notes:
from novel by Yashar Kemal, produced in Finnish
1st Produced:
Turku, Finland 1974
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:
Adaptation
Parts:
Male: - Female: - Other: -
Further Reference:
-
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