Williamson, David (1942-…), became Australia’s most successful playwright. He is best known for his satirical comedies and skillful use of local Australian dialogue. Many of his plays explore the social and cultural attitudes of middle-class Australians.
Williamson established his reputation as a leading contemporary dramatist with The Removalists and Don’s Party (both 1971). What If You Died Tomorrow (1973) and The Department (1974) were contemporary and partly autobiographical comedies. The Department was set in an engineering department similar to the one in which Williamson had taught before becoming a playwright. A Handful of Friends (1976) satirizes success in the worlds of journalism, motion pictures, and universities. The Club (1977) deals with Australian Rules football.
Williamson’s comedies generally suggest implications beyond their particular issues and settings. Some plays, like The Perfectionist (1982), present a crisis in a marriage and deal more with personal themes. Others, like Sons of Cain (1985), which explores corruption in the state, and Emerald City (1987), which discusses the rivalry between the cities of Sydney and Melbourne, deal with more public concerns. But all blend some element of both the personal and the public into realistic and satiric comedy. Williamson’s other plays include Top Silk (1988), Siren (1990), Money and Friends (1992), and Charitable Intent (2001). Williamson achieved perhaps his greatest international success with Up for Grabs (2001), a satire on the art world that became a hit in London in 2002 starring the popular American singer, dancer, and actress Madonna.
Williamson has written many scripts for motion pictures, adapting his own plays for the screen as well as the works of other writers. Williamson in particular developed a close working relationship with Australian film director Peter Weir. Williamson’s screenplays include Don’s Party (1976), Gallipoli (1981), Phar Lap (1983), The Year of Living Dangerously (1983), Travelling North (1986), Dangerous Life (1989), and On the Beach (2000). He has also written for television.
David Keith Williamson was born on Feb. 24, 1942, in Melbourne, Victoria. He attended both Melbourne and Monash universities, graduating from Monash with a degree in mechanical engineering in 1964. He taught mechanical engineering and psychology from 1966 to 1972, when he became a full-time writer.
