Katherine Thomson
Encyclopedia
Katherine Thomson is an Australian playwright
and screenwriter
.
Katherine Thomson was born in Manly, New South Wales
and began her theatrical involvement as a teenager with the Australian Theatre for Young People
. She helped found Theatre South in Wollongong and acted in many of their productions.
Her first work was A Change in the Weather, which was followed by Tonight We Anchor in Twofold Bay. Both works were performed in Wollongong in the early 1980s, while the latter was also staged at the Sydney Theatre Company
's Wharf Studio. Her next play, A Sporting Chance, was commissioned by the Magpie Theatre Company in South Australia
in 1987. It was succeeded by Darlinghurst Nights, developed from the light verse of the noted Australian poet Kenneth Slessor
and it was presented, along with musical accompaniment, by the Sydney Theatre Company
in 1988.
In 1991, Diving for Pearls premiered at the Melbourne Theatre Company
, with Peter Cummins in the role of Den. Later the same year, Belvoir Street theatre in Sydney
produced the play with Robyn Nevin
as Barbara and Marshall Napier
as Den. Other productions have taken place in Adelaide
, Wollongong, Newcastle
and Penrith
and the play was awarded the Victorian Premier's Literary Award
.
Barmaids was first performed by the Deck Chair Theatre Company in Western Australia
and has since been performed in the eastern states and in New Zealand
. As writer in residence for the Sydney Theatre Company
in 1995, Thomson wrote Fragments of Hong Kong and in 1997 a production of Navigating, directed by Richard Wherrett
, with Jacki Weaver
as Bea, was staged by the Queensland and Melbourne Theatre companies. The following year, the Sydney Theatre Company
presented a production of this play directed by Marion Potts, featuring Noni Hazelhurst
in the central role.
In 2007, King Tide was premiered by Griffin Theatre Company
, in a production directed by Patrick Nolan, starring Toni Scanlon.
Thomson has written for a number of television series, including Wildside
, Halifax f.p.
, Fallen Angels
, G. P.
and Mirror, Mirror
. She received an AWGIE Award for an episode of GP and an AFI
nomination for an episode of Halifax f.p. She has also served as a member of the board of the Sydney Theatre Company
for a number of years.
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
and screenwriter
Screenwriter
Screenwriters or scriptwriters or scenario writers are people who write/create the short or feature-length screenplays from which mass media such as films, television programs, Comics or video games are based.-Profession:...
.
Katherine Thomson was born in Manly, New South Wales
Manly, New South Wales
Manly is a suburb of northern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Manly is located 17 kilometres north-east of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of Manly Council, in the Northern Beaches region.-History:Manly was named...
and began her theatrical involvement as a teenager with the Australian Theatre for Young People
Australian Theatre for Young People
The Australian Theatre for Young People is Australia's flagship youth theatre company and the largest youth theatre in the world. Over 6000 young people aged between three and 26 participate in the company's work across Australia....
. She helped found Theatre South in Wollongong and acted in many of their productions.
Her first work was A Change in the Weather, which was followed by Tonight We Anchor in Twofold Bay. Both works were performed in Wollongong in the early 1980s, while the latter was also staged at the Sydney Theatre Company
Sydney Theatre Company
The Sydney Theatre Company is one of Australia's best-known theatre companies operating from The Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre....
's Wharf Studio. Her next play, A Sporting Chance, was commissioned by the Magpie Theatre Company in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
in 1987. It was succeeded by Darlinghurst Nights, developed from the light verse of the noted Australian poet Kenneth Slessor
Kenneth Slessor
Kenneth Adolf Slessor OBE was an Australian poet and journalist. He was one of Australia's leading poets, notable particularly for the absorption of modernist influences into Australian poetry. The Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry is named after him.-Life:Slessor was born Kenneth Adolphe...
and it was presented, along with musical accompaniment, by the Sydney Theatre Company
Sydney Theatre Company
The Sydney Theatre Company is one of Australia's best-known theatre companies operating from The Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre....
in 1988.
In 1991, Diving for Pearls premiered at the Melbourne Theatre Company
Melbourne Theatre Company
The Melbourne Theatre Company is a theatre company based in Melbourne. Founded in 1953, it is the oldest professional theatre company in Australia, and has its own theatre, The MTC Theatre – which houses the 500-seat Sumner Theatre and the 150-seat Lawler Studio – located in Melbourne's Arts...
, with Peter Cummins in the role of Den. Later the same year, Belvoir Street theatre in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
produced the play with Robyn Nevin
Robyn Nevin
Robyn Anne Nevin AM , is an Australian stage and screen actress, and is considered by some as a doyenne of Australian theatre.- Early life :...
as Barbara and Marshall Napier
Marshall Napier
Marshall James Napier is a New Zealand-born actor. He is the father of actress Jessica Napier and the uncle of actor James Napier.Before becoming an actor, Napier worked variously as an art student, factory worker and truck driver...
as Den. Other productions have taken place in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
, Wollongong, Newcastle
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
and Penrith
Penrith, New South Wales
Penrith is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Penrith is located west of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre for the local government area of the City of Penrith...
and the play was awarded the Victorian Premier's Literary Award
Victorian Premier's Literary Award
The Victorian Premier's Literary Awards were created by the Victorian Governmentwith the aim of raising the profile of contemporary creative writing and Australia's publishing industry....
.
Barmaids was first performed by the Deck Chair Theatre Company in Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
and has since been performed in the eastern states and in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. As writer in residence for the Sydney Theatre Company
Sydney Theatre Company
The Sydney Theatre Company is one of Australia's best-known theatre companies operating from The Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre....
in 1995, Thomson wrote Fragments of Hong Kong and in 1997 a production of Navigating, directed by Richard Wherrett
Richard Wherrett
Richard Bruce Wherrett AM was an influential and successful Australian theatrical director, whose career spanned 40 years.Richard Wherrett was born in 1940...
, with Jacki Weaver
Jacki Weaver
Jacqueline Ruth "Jacki" Weaver is an Australian theatre, film and television actress. She is best known outside Australia for her performance in Animal Kingdom, for which she was nominated for the 2011 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.-Career:Jacki Weaver has been working in Australian...
as Bea, was staged by the Queensland and Melbourne Theatre companies. The following year, the Sydney Theatre Company
Sydney Theatre Company
The Sydney Theatre Company is one of Australia's best-known theatre companies operating from The Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre....
presented a production of this play directed by Marion Potts, featuring Noni Hazelhurst
Noni Hazelhurst
Leonie Elva "Noni" Hazlehurst is an Australian actress. She won the Best Support Actress in a Single Series in the Logie Awards of 1985. After attending St Leonard's College in Brighton East, Victoria, Hazlehurst completed a Bachelor of Arts in 1973 at Flinders University in Adelaide...
in the central role.
In 2007, King Tide was premiered by Griffin Theatre Company
Griffin Theatre Company
Griffin Theatre Company is an Australian theatre specialising in new writing. It is the resident theatre company at the SBW Stables Theatre in Kings Cross, Sydney, Australia...
, in a production directed by Patrick Nolan, starring Toni Scanlon.
Thomson has written for a number of television series, including Wildside
Wildside (TV drama)
Wildside is an Australian police procedural television series broadcast on the ABC from 1997 to 1999.The show consisted of a one hour format that followed police interactions in inner Sydney. It starred Rachael Blake, Tony Martin, Richard Carter and Alex Dimitriades...
, Halifax f.p.
Halifax f.p.
Halifax f.p. is an Australian television drama series produced by Nine Network from 1994 to 2001. The series stars Rebecca Gibney as Doctor Jane Halifax, a forensic psychiatrist investigating cases involving the mental state of suspects or victims...
, Fallen Angels
Fallen Angels (Australian TV series)
Fallen Angels was an Australian television series screened on the ABC in 1997. There was only one series of 20 episodes produced. The series was set around a community legal centre in Endeavour Park, a fictional western suburb of Sydney...
, G. P.
G. P.
G.P. was an Australian television series produced by Roadshow, Coote & Carroll for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation between 1989 and 1996.The series was set around a general medical practice in an inner-city suburb...
and Mirror, Mirror
Mirror, Mirror (TV series)
Mirror, Mirror is a television programme co-produced by Australia and New Zealand. Presented as a single complete story given in a serial with 20 episodes, there are cliffhangers between some of the episodes....
. She received an AWGIE Award for an episode of GP and an AFI
Australian Film Institute
The Australian Film Institute was founded in 1958 as a non-profit organisation devoted to developing an active film culture in Australia and fostering engagement between the general public and the Australian film industry...
nomination for an episode of Halifax f.p. She has also served as a member of the board of the Sydney Theatre Company
Sydney Theatre Company
The Sydney Theatre Company is one of Australia's best-known theatre companies operating from The Wharf Theatre near The Rocks area of Sydney, as well as the Sydney Theatre and the Sydney Opera House Drama Theatre....
for a number of years.
External links
- Short video interview with Katherine Thomson talking about her plays and writing methods
- Teacher's Notes on Katherine Thomson