Siren (play)

Last updated
Siren
Written by David Williamson
Characters5M, 2F
Date premiered1990
Original languageEnglish
Genresocial comedy

Siren is a 1990 play by Australian playwright David Williamson. [1]

Contents

Plot

In a central Coast motel room, Liz has been hired to seduce Billy Nottle, a local councillor suspected of accepting bribes from developers.

Productions

Williamson gave the world premiere rights to Melbourne, which upset the Sydney Theatre Company, who had put on Emerald City with great success. A compromise was reached where the play opened in Sydney and Melbourne simultaneously, but Melbourne began 15 minutes earlier. [2] [3] The Sydney production was directed by Richard Wherret, the Melbourne one by Graeme Blundell. The Sydney production starred Andrea Moor who had been in 'Emerald City. [4]

Reception

Reviewing the 1990 Sydney production the Sunday Herald said "it cannot be counted among his successes." [5] Sydney Morning Herald said "it's the writing, line by line, that lacks finesse." [6]

Reviewing the 1990 Melbourne production The Age called it "a dismal affair... cynical, regressive and uninvolving." [7]

Related Research Articles

City of Botany Bay Local government area in New South Wales, Australia

The City of Botany Bay was a local government area in the eastern region of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The area encompassed the suburbs to the north of Botany Bay, such as Botany. First proclaimed in 1888 as the "Borough of Botany", the council became the "Municipality of Botany" from 1906 to 1996, when it was proclaimed a city as the "City of Botany Bay".

David Keith Williamson, AO is an Australian dramatist and playwright. He has also written screenplays and teleplays.

Ron Randell Australian American actor

Ronald Egan "Ron" Randell was an Australian actor. After beginning his acting career on the stage in 1937, he played Charles Kingsford Smith in the film Smithy (1946). He also had roles in Bulldog Drummond at Bay (1947), Kiss Me Kate (1953), I Am a Camera (1955), Most Dangerous Man Alive (1961) and King of Kings (1961).

Marrickville Council Local government area in New South Wales, Australia

Marrickville Council was a local government area located in the inner west region of Sydney, Australia. It was originally created on 1 November 1861 as the "Municipality of Marrickville". On 12 May 2016, Marrickville Council was merged with Ashfield and Leichhardt councils into the newly formed Inner West Council.

Smart Alec is a 1951 British crime film directed by John Guillermin and starring Peter Reynolds.

Municipality of Alexandria Local government area in New South Wales, Australia

The Municipality of Alexandria was a local government area of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Originally part of the municipalities of Redfern from 1859 and Waterloo from 1860, the Borough of Alexandria was proclaimed on 27 August 1868. With an area of 4.2 square kilometres, it included the modern suburbs of Alexandria, Beaconsfield and parts of Eveleigh, St Peters and Erskineville. After a minor boundary change with the Municipality of Erskineville in 1908, the council was amalgamated with the City of Sydney, along with most of its neighbours, with the passing of the Local Government (Areas) Act 1948, although the former council area was later transferred in 1968–1982 and 1989–2004 to the South Sydney councils.

Frank Beaumont "Beau" Smith, was an Australian film director, producer and exhibitor, best known for making low-budget comedies.

Struck Oil is a 1919 Australian silent film directed by Franklyn Barrett. It is based on a play set during the American Civil War whose popularity with the Australian public as a stage vehicle for Maggie Moore was the basis for J.C. Williamson's success as a theatre entrepreneur.

The Department is a 1974 play by David Williamson about political intrigue at a university department. It was based on Williamson's time as a lecturer at Swinburne Tech.

Sons of Cain is a 1985 play by David Williamson about three female investigative reporters.

Top Silk is a play by David Williamson concerning two lawyers. It is not regarded as one of his strongest plays but was very successful commercially.

They Were Big, They Were Blue, They Were Beautiful is an Australian television movie, or rather a live television play, which aired in 1959. It aired as part of Shell Presents, a monthly presentation of standalone productions which aired from 1959 to 1960 on ATN-7 in Sydney and GTV-9 in Melbourne. Australian TV drama was relatively rare at the time.

Municipality of Redfern Local government area in New South Wales, Australia

The Municipality of Redfern was a local government area of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The small municipality was proclaimed in 1859 as one of the first municipalities proclaimed under the new provisions of the Municipalities Act, 1858, and was centred on the suburbs of Redfern, Eveleigh, Darlington and Surry Hills. The council was amalgamated, along with most of its neighbours, with the City of Sydney to the north with the passing of the Local Government (Areas) Act 1948. From 1968 to 1982 and from 1989 to 2004, the area was part of the South Sydney councils.

Johnny Belinda was a 1959 Australian TV adaptation of the 1940 play by Elmer Harris which had been filmed in 1948. It was the first "live" one hour drama on commercial television in Australia.

Hugh Joseph Ward was an American-born stage actor who had a substantial career in Australia as comic actor, dancer, manager and theatrical impresario.

The First Joanna is a 1943 play by Dorothy Blewett.

James Allison was a theatre manager in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne. He engaged and managed local and overseas opera, drama, circus, minstrel and variety companies throughout the Australasian colonies.

May Hollinworth Australian theatrical producer and director

May Hollinworth was an Australian theatre producer and director, former radio actress, and founder of the Metropolitan Theatre in Sydney. The daughter of a theatrical producer, she was introduced to the theatre at a young age. She graduated with a science degree, and worked in the chemistry department of the University of Sydney, before being appointed as director of the Sydney University Dramatic Society. She held that post from 1929 to 1943, when she resigned and founded the Metropolitan Theatre, which she directed from 1944 to 1950. She presented a range of dramatic works, including Shakespeare and other classics, and contemporary plays from Australia and around the world. She premiered several Australian plays. She retired from the Metropolitan Theatre in 1950 due to illness, but was later invited to direct plays at the Independent Theatre and the Elizabethan Theatre in Sydney. She had a reputation as a superb producer, known for her highly effective use of lighting, and her abilities to arrange actors on stage to convey dramatic meaning visually, to overcome the challenges of large and small stages with minimal facilities, and to select and nurture a cast. Many actors who became notable in Australia and other countries played under her direction at the start of their careers.

References

  1. "Reviews". Tharunka . 36 (4). New South Wales, Australia. 9 April 1990. p. 26. Retrieved 2 November 2017 via National Library of Australia.
  2. Cochrane, Peter (14 March 1997). "Williamson's World". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 15.
  3. "An Occasional Series: Media Education Now". Filmnews . 20 (3). New South Wales, Australia. 1 April 1990. p. 5. Retrieved 2 November 2017 via National Library of Australia.
  4. O'Neill, Helen (23 March 1990). "Sirendipity". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 60.
  5. Carmody, John (25 March 1990). "Siren on the Rocks". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 125.
  6. Evans, Bob (24 March 1990). "The Juggled ball Fubled in new tack". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 79.
  7. Radic, Leonard (24 March 1990). "A Songless Siren". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 79.