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Katharine Brisbane (AM) | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1932 (age 91–92) |
| Education | University of Western Australia |
| Occupation(s) | Journalist, publisher |
| Known for | Currency Press |
| Awards | Helpmann Award |
Katharine Elizabeth Brisbane [1] AM (born 7 January 1932) is an Australian journalist and publisher, well known for her writings as a theatre critic.
Katharine Brisbane was born in Singapore in 1932, to David Williams, a civil engineer, and Myra Glady Brisbane. She spent her early years growing up in Western Australia, living in Peppermint Grove. [2] [ better source needed ]
Brisbane graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Australia. During her time at UWA she participated in student theatre, firstly designing costumes and then moving onto directing productions.
After graduating she became a cadet at The West Australian , and spent 18 months in London. She took up the position of theatre critic for The West Australian from 1959 to 1961, and again from 1962 to 1965. This work provided her the platform she needed to become the national theatre critic for The Australian from 1967 to 1974. In this role, she was a part of the changing Australian drama of the new wave at the time and saw many new emerging Australian plays and playwrights. She documents these productions in her 2005 book Not Wrong: Just Different. She also wrote as the national theatre writer for The National Times from 1981 to 1982.[ citation needed ]
Brisbane founded Currency Press with her husband Philip Parsons in 1971 and it became the largest independent publishing company in Australia.[ citation needed ] The first play that Currency published was Macquarie, a 1972 play by Alex Buzo. In 1995, with Brisbane's continual backing, Currency published The Concise Companion to Australian Theatre (ed. Philip Parsons).[ citation needed ]
Brisbane's writings include contributions to The Literature of Australia, World Drama, Contemporary Australian Drama: Perspectives Since 1955, as well as New Currents in Australian Writing, which she co-edited. She has also written introductions for many plays published by Currency Press.[ citation needed ]
In 1967, Brisbane wrote a scathing review of the Sydney production of Othello in which Peter O'Shaughnessy both directed and played the part of Othello. Brisbane wrote, in part, "Stupidity and lack of talent are forgivable; brave failures are deserving of praise – these are every day human failings. But the waste and dishonesty of this production ... made me very angry indeed". [3]
O'Shaughnessy sued Brisbane for libel – the first libel case against a critic in Australia. The case was argued before the High Court of Australia, where O'Shaughnessy won with a unanimous judgment. In a joint statement, Garfield Barwick, McTiernan, Menzies and Owen wrote: "This is one of those cases where the critic, in making her evaluation that the production was a disaster... did not plainly confine herself to commenting upon facts truly stated; she wrote what could, we think, have been regarded as amounting to a defamatory statement of fact...". [4] In a separate judgment, Windeyer went further, "the matter published by the respondent in its newspaper was a vigorous, and in parts abusive criticism of a public performance of 'Othello'." [5] The newspaper ultimately settled with O'Shaughnessy. However, it had a lasting impact on O'Shaughnessy's career, for he left for London shortly afterwards, effectively ending his career on the Australian stage. As for Brisbane, she saw it as the making of her career: "So they settled... which was a bit sad. But after that my columns were read". [6]
In 1993, Brisbane was made a Member of the Order of Australia, "In recognition of service to Australian drama, particularly as co-founder of Currency Press". [1]
The Helpmann Awards is an awards show, celebrating live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Performance Australia (LPA) since 2001. [7] In 2012, Brisbane received the JC Williamson Award, the LPA's highest honour, for their life's work in live performance. [8] [9]
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Herself | JC Williamson Award | awarded |
Sir Robert Murray Helpmann CBE was an Australian ballet dancer, actor, director, and choreographer. After early work in Australia he moved to Britain in 1932, where he joined the Vic-Wells Ballet under its creator, Ninette de Valois. He became one of the company's leading men, partnering Alicia Markova and later Margot Fonteyn. When Frederick Ashton, the company's chief choreographer, was called up for military service in the Second World War, Helpmann took over from him while continuing as a principal dancer.
David Keith Williamson is an Australian playwright. He has also written screenplays and teleplays.
John Anthony Bell FRSN is an Australian actor, theatre director and theatre manager. He has been a major influence on the development of Australian theatre in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
Ruth Winifred Cracknell AM was an Australian character and comic actress, comedienne and author, her career encompassing all genres including radio, theatre, television and film. She appeared in many dramatic as well as comedy roles throughout a career spanning some 56 years. In theatre she was well known for her Shakespeare roles.
Kevin George Jacobsen OAM is an Australian entertainment entrepreneur and former musician who is the head of the Jacobson Entertainment Group
Reginald Dawson Livermore is an Australian actor, singer, theatrical performer, designer, director, lyricist and writer and former television presenter.
Wendy Blacklock AM is an Australian-born retired theatre actress and theatrical entrepreneur, radio and television actress, comedienne, producer, writer, singer, dancer and choreographer who has appeared in numerous performance roles, both locally and in the United Kingdom, and has been referred to as "The Grand Dame of the Stage".
The Helpmann Awards are accolades for live entertainment and performing arts in Australia, presented by industry group Live Live Performance Australia (LPA) since 2001.
James David Sharman is an Australian director and writer for film and stage with more than 70 productions to his credit. He is renowned in Australia for his work as a theatre director since the 1960s, and is best known internationally as the director of the 1973 theatrical hit The Rocky Horror Show, its film adaptation The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) and the film's follow-up, Shock Treatment (1981).
Theatre of Australia refers to the history of the live performing arts in Australia: performed, written or produced by Australians.
James Cassius Williamson was an American actor and later Australia's foremost impresario, founding the J. C. Williamson's theatrical and production company.
Robyn Archer, AO, CdOAL is an Australian singer, writer, stage director, artistic director, and public advocate of the arts, in Australia and internationally.
Alana Valentine is an Australian playwright, dramatist, librettist, and director working in theatre, film, opera and television.
Currency Press is a leading performing arts publisher and its oldest independent publisher still active. Their list includes plays and screenplays, professional handbooks, biographies, cultural histories, critical studies and reference works.
Anthony M. Gould was a theatre impresario, as an arts director, producer and manager, he was the founding director of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC) and the Brisbane Festival.
Peter O'Shaughnessy OAM was an Australian actor, theatre director, producer and writer who presented the work of playwrights ranging from Shakespeare, Shaw, Ibsen, Strindberg, Chekhov to modern dramatists, such as Ionesco, Pinter and Beckett. He acted as a mentor to and collaborator with comedian Barry Humphries in his early career. He attended Xavier College, Melbourne.
The 12th Annual Helpmann Awards was held on 24 September 2012 at the Sydney Opera House, in Sydney, New South Wales. Administered by Live Performance Australia (LPA), accolades were presented for achievements in disciplines of Australia's live performance sectors, for productions during the season between 1 March 2011 – 31 May 2012.
The JC Williamson Award, is an lifetime achievement award presented annually as a sector of the Helpmann Awards, governed by Live Performance Australia.
The 13th Annual Helpmann Awards were held on 29 July 2013 at the Sydney Opera House, in Sydney. Administered by Live Performance Australia (LPA), accolades were handed out in 41 categories for achievements in theatre, musicals, opera, ballet, dance and concerts for productions shown between 1 March 2012 and 31 May 2013. The ceremony was broadcast live on Arena with Eddie Perfect and Christie Whelan-Browne hosting the event.
John Edward Frost (AM) is an Australian theatrical stage impresario. He is co-founder and CEO of Sydney-based production company The Gordon Frost Organisation (GFO). In December 2020, he sold the company to Crossroads Live Company (CXL) but continues in the role of CEO.
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