Karel Čapek as travel writer
Karel Čapek is best-known for his dramas (notably R.U.R., in which he coined the word 'robot') and fiction (e.g. The Absolute at Large), but he was also a travel-writer, and Mirna Šolić recently published a study of these writing, In Search of a Shared Expression: Karel Čapek’s travel writing and imaginative geography of Europe; see for example, the Charles University press release.
At Radio Praha Ian Willoughby now has an interesting Q & A about this with Šolić.
... which do you prefer? Sunny Sydney or Marvellous Melbourne?
The truth is I've lived longer in Melbourne than Sydney and left both of these great cities for the pleasures of the Sunshine Coast many years ago. Melbourne has changed enormously since I left in 1979. Mostly for the better. The Southbank precinct is a great addition to the Melbourne I left and the busy inner city life of Melbourne, sustained by cafes, bars and restaurants is something Sydney has never been able to match. Nor has Sydney quite matched the fervour of theatrical activity in many many venues around Melbourne. But Sydney has its charms. It's semi tropical abundance and that sparkling harbour can still cause one's spirits to soar. In short, they're both great and interesting cities and Kristin and I could live happily in either of them if we didn't so much enjoy the tranquillity and peace of living on a beautiful coastline in Queensland.
Australian Stage: https://www.australianstage.com.au/202001219111/features/brisbane/david-williamson.html
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DAVID WILLIAMSON. The Trump Card of the Right.
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who has the best evidence based argument will win the debate. Sadly, as
long as they do they’ll keep losing. Continue reading
David Williamson
Heather Bloom
22 January 2020
One of Australia’s most beloved playwrights, David Williamson continues
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Directed by Sam Strong, Emerald City will open Queensland Theatre’s
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Australian Stage: Profile of David Williamson
“Yes, bloody Sam Mendes pinched our last scene and turned it into a whole film,” Williamson says with a laugh.
But now the curtain’s coming down, and this self-proclaimed leftie reflects on his career and much else as we sit under the outrageously high art deco ceiling of Sydney’s Rockpool Bar & Grill. He chose the restaurant, one of the city’s dearest. I’ll have to ask him about that.
Williamson’s final play, Crunch Time, opened at the Ensemble Theatre in Kirribilli on Friday, February 14. (It runs until April 9.) He insists that’s it. Come on, I say. You’ve written a play a year, tapping into the current issues of every one of those years. When something next infuriates you, you won’t be able to keep your typing fingers still.
Australian Stage: Profile of David Williamson
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The party's over: Williamson's last word
David
Williamson is still passionate about many things, but after 50 years
dissecting Australia's middle-class foibles the legendary playwright is
retiring and swears he will stay silent in his dotage.
If you’re ever asked to lunch with David Williamson and write about it, you are unlikely to fall short on the word count. He has a lot to say. Indeed, the transcription of our lunch – which was only one course and coffee – runs to 16,000 words, or about 10 times the length of this article. My questions can’t be blamed. They were short.
In Williamson’s defence, should any defence of passionate and often eloquent conversation be needed, there was a great deal to cover.
The
2-metre tall Melbourne playwright has worked in the theatre for 50
years, managed to have every one of the 55 plays he has written
performed, and has squeezed in a great deal more.
That includes the screenplay for Gallipoli, the Peter Weir-directed film released in 1981 that is widely cited as an inspiration for 1917, which on Monday took out three technical category awards from 10 Academy Award nominations.“Yes, bloody Sam Mendes pinched our last scene and turned it into a whole film,” Williamson says with a laugh.
But now the curtain’s coming down, and this self-proclaimed leftie reflects on his career and much else as we sit under the outrageously high art deco ceiling of Sydney’s Rockpool Bar & Grill. He chose the restaurant, one of the city’s dearest. I’ll have to ask him about that.
Williamson’s final play, Crunch Time, opened at the Ensemble Theatre in Kirribilli on Friday, February 14. (It runs until April 9.) He insists that’s it. Come on, I say. You’ve written a play a year, tapping into the current issues of every one of those years. When something next infuriates you, you won’t be able to keep your typing fingers still.
