AustLit

In the wake of David Williamson's claims about a lack of appreciation for his work, Alison Croggon examines the current state of Australian theatre. Croggon looks at the perceived 'war between writing and directing' and balances that view with cases of genuine collaboration between writers and directors (such as Tom Wright and Barrie Kosky). She also discusses differences between 'naturalistic popular theatre' and 'non-naturalistic or difficult stuff'.

Croggon asserts that change in Australian theatre has been driven by 'peripatetic artists: writers, directors, performers, designers who worked between Europe, Asia, North America and Australia, bringing a wider international perspective to local practice ... Whereas in a previous generation Australian artists moved overseas permanently, these artists return and continue their work here. And they bring with them fresh perspectives, new ways of working, new influences, new dissatisfactions ... Their work simply will not fit into the old dichotomies of naturalism and non-naturalism, or Australian and internationalist.'