Harry Kippax, AO was a leading journalist with the Sydney Morning Herald from 1938. As foreign editor and leader writer he covered wars and politics over four decades. But his great love was for the theatre. From 1959 he traced the rise of the contemporary theatre, first for the journal Nation and from 1966–89 for the SMH. He spotted the talent of the young Mel Gibson, John Bell, Judy Davis, Geoffrey Rush and David Williamson. And his comments are revealing. He was eclectic in his taste, uncompromising in his standards and thunderously judgmental on the interpretation of the classics. The book has an extensive biographical introduction, and a personal memoir by the critic and author Sylvia Lawson.
Professor Emeritus Harry Heseltine, AO, was English literature professor at the University of NSW and the Australian Defence Force Academy. He has spent 50 years in literary scholarship as editor of many commentaries on Australian literature.
Cased. 342pp.
PUBLISHED 2004
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National Institute of Dramatic Art
The School of English, University of New South Wales
The School of Humanities & Social Sciences, the Australian Defence Force Academy
Sydney Theatre Company
Sydney Theatre Critics’ Circle
Anonymous
Dame Betty Arnold
John Bell, AO
Mrs Florence Best
Frederick J. Blackwood
Ron Blair
Katharine Brisbane, AM
Alan Brissenden, AM
Dennis Carroll
In memory of June Collis and Robert Quentin
Dr Peter Cooke
Richard Cottrell
Peter Cousens
Mari and John de Meyrick
John Derum
Jeremy Eccles
Lady Vincent Fairfax, OBE
Richard Fotheringham
Ben Gabriel and Doreen Warburton
John Giles
Ron Haddrick, MBE
Mac Halliday
Wayne Harrison
Margaret Hetherington
Noel Hodda
Ken Horler, AM
C. John Keightley
Adrian Kiernander
Sue Kippax
Jane Kirton
Jacqueline Kott
John Krummel
Carolyn and Peter Lowry, OAM
Betty Lucas-Peterson
Dianne Mackenzie
Margaret and Elizabeth Mercuri
Lynne Murphy
Aarne Neeme
Robyn Nevin, AM
Tony Scotford
Dr Rodney Seaborn, AO, OBE
Ross Steele
Ross Thorne
Greig Tillotson
Lynn Trainor
Frank Van Straten, OAM
Thea Waddell
The Hon. Lloyd Waddy, RFD
Jacki Weaver
Professor Elizabeth Webby, AM
John West, AM
Jane Westbrook
Dr Judy White
Margaret Whitlam, AO
David Williamson, AO
Joan Beatrice Winchester
Tony Youlden
