Barry Dickins facts for kids

Barry Dickins (born 6 November 1949) is a well-known Australian writer, artist, and actor. He is famous for his plays, books, and stories, especially those about growing up in Melbourne. He has written many different kinds of works, including plays for the stage, short stories, and books for children.

Dickins often works with independent theatres in Australia. These include places like La Mama Theatre and Malthouse Theatre.

Who is Barry Dickins?

Barry Dickins was born in Reservoir, a suburb of Melbourne, Australia. He started working early in life. He spent five years working in a factory in North Melbourne. After that, he worked as a set-painter for TV shows at Channel 7.

Early Life and First Steps

His journey into theatre began with La Mama Theatre. His very first play was performed in 1974. It was his own version of a play called Ghosts. Since then, he has written more than 50 plays. He has also written many short stories, biographies, and essays.

A Prolific Writer

Barry Dickins is known for writing about historical events and people. His most famous play is Remember Ronald Ryan. This play won the 1995 Victorian Premier's Literary Award. It tells the story of a historical figure named Ronald Ryan.

Famous Plays and Books

He has also written plays and comedies about other interesting people. These include poet Sylvia Plath and opera singer Joan Sutherland. He has also written about actor Frank Thring and artist Brett Whiteley.

Acting Career

Besides writing, Barry Dickins has also acted in many plays and films. His first acting role was in a play called The Ship's Whistles in 1978. He has appeared in several movies, including Man of Flowers (1983) and Golden Braid (1990). He even helped write Golden Braid. He also had roles in TV shows like Winners and Wedlocked.

Teaching and Memoirs

Barry Dickins had a long career as a teacher. He taught English and creative writing for 41 years. He taught at various schools in Melbourne, including Scotch College. His experiences in the classroom inspired his 2013 book, Lessons in Humility: 40 years of teaching.

In 2009, he published his book of memories called Unparalleled Sorrow. This book talks about his career and personal challenges. In 2015, he published A Line Drawing of My Father. This book is about his father, Len Dickins, who served in the Second World War. It also describes life in the working-class suburbs of Melbourne.

In 2015, Dickins became a Writer-in-Residence at Victoria University. He taught creative writing there in Footscray, Melbourne.

Images for kids

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  Barry Dickins at La Mama Theatre, October 2022