Van Badham
Encyclopedia
Van Badham is an Australian writer. A playwright
and novelist, she writes dramas and comedies.
The influence of her upbringing was evident in work presented to her teachers at school. Badham's first script was a second grade assignment to write up the class Nativity Play
, which she duly set in the beer garden of a public house with Mary and Joseph ejected by a manager for failing to meet dress regulations.
. Encouraged by Hilton to develop her writing for the stage, on graduation from high school Badham was admitted into the Creative Writing programme at the University of Wollongong
.
While a student she began to publish poetry and short fiction as well as write student dramas. At university, her growing political awareness flowered and she was drawn into involvement with student politics and left-wing activism, and she was elected editor of the Wollongong University Student Representative Council newspaper, Tertangala
. By 1998, Badham was an avowed anarchist and President of the New South Wales branch of the National Union of Students
, caucusing with radical group the Non Aligned Left.
and David Williamson
.
The success of The Wilderness of Mirrors - a play about secret service infiltration of an activist organisation, based on Badham' experiences in the NUS - brought her to public attention and she began to stage more work across Australia. By 2001, however, her radical themes and attacks on the Australian establishment had won her little favour with the prevailing conservative political climate in her home country and she relocated to the United Kingdom initially studying at the University of Sheffield
.
, Sheffield, in 2001 who staged a collaborative production of Kitchen with company Nabokov in 2001. A play about marriage as a metaphor for capitalism, it then toured to the 2002 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it became an instant hit.
Commissions from the Royal Court Theatre
http://www.websweweave.org/cgi-bin/w_vanessa.asp and the BBC World Service
followed, as did transfers of Kitchen to London and New York plus six subsequent Edinburgh productions between 2003 and 2006: Camarilla and Bedtime for Bastards (2003), Nikolina and the subversive children's musical Waitin' 4 Da G (2004 - with music by Jonny Berliner), Petrograd (2005) and Persae (2006).
Camarilla was a critical sensation at the 2003 festival http://www.nabokov-online.com/shows/camarilla/reviews.html and led to the cementing of Badham's sudden international reputation as a leading proponent of radical political theatre. Badham has since won numerous international awards and her work is performed around the world.
saga by Pan Macmillan Australia. The first book of the series, Burnt Snow was released in September, 2010. The second book in the series titled White Rain is to be released in 2011.
, dichotomies of middle- and working-class values, the social roles assigned to women and the relationship of art to history.
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 novelist, she writes dramas and comedies.
Early life
Van Badham was born Vanessa Badham in Sydney in 1978 http://www.austlit.edu.au/run?ex=ShowAgent&agentId=A%237G. Her mother and father worked in the New South Wales gaming and track industry, with her father eventually working for the registered club industry as a publican. An only child, she grew up immersed in an adult culture of betting, drinking and sports. Her family moved many times during her youth.The influence of her upbringing was evident in work presented to her teachers at school. Badham's first script was a second grade assignment to write up the class Nativity Play
Nativity play
A Nativity play or Christmas pageant is a play which recounts the story of the Nativity of Jesus. It is usually performed at Christmas, the feast of the Nativity.-Liturgical:...
, which she duly set in the beer garden of a public house with Mary and Joseph ejected by a manager for failing to meet dress regulations.
Education
Badham attended St George Girls' High School in Kogarah http://www.stgeorgegi-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/captainaddress.html. Badham's parents enrolled her in Sydney's Phillip Street Theatre drama school. At Phillip Street she was tutored by Darrell Hilton, an acting teacher whose previous students included Nicole KidmanNicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman, AC is an American-born Australian actress, singer, film producer, spokesmodel, and humanitarian. After starring in a number of small Australian films and TV shows, Kidman's breakthrough was in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm...
. Encouraged by Hilton to develop her writing for the stage, on graduation from high school Badham was admitted into the Creative Writing programme at the University of Wollongong
University of Wollongong
The University of Wollongong is a public university located in the coastal city of Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia, approximately 80 kilometres south of Sydney...
.
While a student she began to publish poetry and short fiction as well as write student dramas. At university, her growing political awareness flowered and she was drawn into involvement with student politics and left-wing activism, and she was elected editor of the Wollongong University Student Representative Council newspaper, Tertangala
Tertangala
Tertangala is the magazine of the University of Wollongong Undergraduate Students' Association -Content:The magazine features student investigative and feature articles, news, artwork, opinion, film and music reviews, as well as interviews and editorials...
. By 1998, Badham was an avowed anarchist and President of the New South Wales branch of the National Union of Students
National Union of Students of Australia
The National Union of Students is the peak representative body for Australian university students. Most student unions in Australian campuses are affiliated to NUS...
, caucusing with radical group the Non Aligned Left.
Early career
In 1999, Badham withdrew from organised political activity to return to campus life and her writing. That year, she won the Naked Theatre Company's first "Write Now!" play competition and with it both a production of her winning play, The Wilderness of Mirrors, at the Sydney Theatre Company's Wharf studio and mentoring from established Australian playwrights Nick EnrightNick Enright
-Life:He was drama captain of St Ignatius' College, Riverview in 1964, where, like Gerard Windsor and Justin Fleming, he was taught by Melvyn Morrow. At that school, he won the 1sts Debating Premiership in both 1966 and 1967....
and David Williamson
David Williamson
David Keith Williamson AO is one of Australia's best-known playwrights. He has also written screenplays and teleplays.-Biography:...
.
The success of The Wilderness of Mirrors - a play about secret service infiltration of an activist organisation, based on Badham' experiences in the NUS - brought her to public attention and she began to stage more work across Australia. By 2001, however, her radical themes and attacks on the Australian establishment had won her little favour with the prevailing conservative political climate in her home country and she relocated to the United Kingdom initially studying at the University of Sheffield
University of Sheffield
The University of Sheffield is a research university based in the city of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It is one of the original 'red brick' universities and is a member of the Russell Group of leading research intensive universities...
.
Move to UK
In the UK, Badham's work was discovered by the Crucible TheatreCrucible Theatre
The Crucible Theatre is a theatre built in 1971 and located in the city centre of Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. As well as theatrical performances, it is home to the most important event in professional snooker, the World Snooker Championship....
, Sheffield, in 2001 who staged a collaborative production of Kitchen with company Nabokov in 2001. A play about marriage as a metaphor for capitalism, it then toured to the 2002 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it became an instant hit.
Commissions from the Royal Court Theatre
Royal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre is a non-commercial theatre on Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is noted for its contributions to modern theatre...
http://www.websweweave.org/cgi-bin/w_vanessa.asp and the BBC World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
followed, as did transfers of Kitchen to London and New York plus six subsequent Edinburgh productions between 2003 and 2006: Camarilla and Bedtime for Bastards (2003), Nikolina and the subversive children's musical Waitin' 4 Da G (2004 - with music by Jonny Berliner), Petrograd (2005) and Persae (2006).
Camarilla was a critical sensation at the 2003 festival http://www.nabokov-online.com/shows/camarilla/reviews.html and led to the cementing of Badham's sudden international reputation as a leading proponent of radical political theatre. Badham has since won numerous international awards and her work is performed around the world.
Career as Novelist
In 2009 it was announced that Badham had been signed for a three-book deal for a paranormal fictionParanormal fiction
This article is about fictional books, television programs, radio programs, and films whose storylines revolve around the paranormal.-Paranormal romance novels:Paranormal romance is a literary subgenre of the romance novel...
saga by Pan Macmillan Australia. The first book of the series, Burnt Snow was released in September, 2010. The second book in the series titled White Rain is to be released in 2011.
Themes
Van Badham's plays are typically concerned with the legacy of personal and political violence, critiques of Western consumer capitalismCapitalism
Capitalism is an economic system that became dominant in the Western world following the demise of feudalism. There is no consensus on the precise definition nor on how the term should be used as a historical category...
, dichotomies of middle- and working-class values, the social roles assigned to women and the relationship of art to history.