John Henry RomerilAM (born 1945) is an Australian playwright and teacher. He has written around 60 plays for theatre, film, radio, and television, and is known for his 1975 playThe Floating World.
John Henry Romeril was born in 1945 and grew up inMelbourne, living inMoorabbin until 1966. He attended Bentleigh West State School, Brighton Tech., and Brighton High Schools, and then undertook a BA atMonash University, graduating in 1970 with majors in English Literature and Politics.[1]
Over the course of his career, Romeril wrote plays for theatre, film, radio, and television, including stage,musicals,puppet theatre,pantomimes, andstreet theatre.[2]
In 1968 he became involved withLa Mama Theatre, which had been established in that year byBetty Burstall. In 1969 a group involved with the theatre founded theAustralian Performing Group (APG) in 1970 established thePram Factory. The APG went on to perform many of Romeril's plays, which were performed at the Pram Factory. Romeril also worked collaboratively with other APG writers, includingJack Hibberd andTim Robertson.[1]
His first plays,I Don't Know Who To Feel Sorry For (1969) andChicago, Chicago (1970) were written while he was still a student.[3]
In 1972, Romeril co-wrote a one-act play for four actors calledBastardy, based on the life of the main actor in the first production of the play,Jack Charles.[4][5] Premiering on 23 August 1972, Charles played the main character at the season at the Pram Factory, withPeter Cummins,Jude Kuring, andTim Robertson taking the other three parts. Charles plays acat burglar who was struggling to get over his drug habit. The production was directed byBruce Spence.[6][7][5] Charles has taken pains to point out that the word isbastardy, notbastardry, Romeril having chosen the title because Charles "lived a life ofbuggery and bastardy in the Box Hill Boys' Home", and also referring to the fact that Charles was fatherless.[8] The script of the play was published in 1982 by Yackandandah Playscripts,[5] and adocumentary film of the same title observing seven years of Charles' life, made byAmiel Courtin-Wilson, was released in 2008.[9][4]
The Floating World (1975) is his most admired play,[1] described by one critic as "a pioneering drama in the context of the predominantly Anglo-Celtic orientation of the APG's theatrical output".[10]
His later work is placed firmly in the context of Australia being part of theAsia Pacific region, including Japan.[10]
He co-wrote the film script forOne Night the Moon withRachel Perkins, released in 2001.[1]
Romeril is known for collaborating when creating his works, in a way that allows many others to contribute to the work.[1]
His plays have examined many influences on Australian society, such as war,[11]American cultural imperialism andnational politics.[1]
His style has been described asimprovisational and musical, and is influenced byBrecht. His works frequently requireaudience participation, as is seen in the improvisational workKelly Dance, where members of the audience members are invited to dance on the stage with the actors.[1]
Romeril has been awriter in residence withJigsaw Theatre Company inCanberra, andTroupe Theatre inAdelaide.[1]
Other awards and honours include:
Some of his works have also been awarded, includingTokyo Henry (Playbox Asialink Playwrighting Competition, 2003) andMiss Tanaka (Nick Enright Prize for Playwriting at theNSW Premier's Literary Awards, 2002).[1]
