Barry Dickins facts for kids

Barry Dickins (born 6 November 1949) is a talented Australian writer, artist, and actor. He is well-known for his plays and books that often share stories about growing up in Melbourne, Australia.

One of his most famous works is the play Remember Ronald Ryan. This play tells the story of Ronald Ryan, who was the last person to be executed in Australia. Barry Dickins has also written about other interesting people, like the poet Sylvia Plath and the opera singer Joan Sutherland.

He mostly writes for independent theaters in Australia. He often works with places like La Mama Theatre and Malthouse Theatre.

About Barry Dickins

Barry Dickins was born in a suburb of Melbourne called Reservoir. He left school early and worked in a factory for five years. After that, he painted sets for TV shows at Channel 7.

Early Career and Plays

His first play was performed in 1974 at La Mama Theatre. 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 books for children.

His play Remember Ronald Ryan won an important award in 1995 called the Victorian Premier's Literary Award.

Teaching and Memoirs

Barry Dickins also had a long career as a teacher. He taught English and creative writing for 41 years at different schools in Melbourne. 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 writing career.

In 2015, another book of his memories was published. It was called A Line Drawing of My Father. This book tells the story of his father, Len Dickins, who served in the Second World War. It also describes what life was like in the working-class northern suburbs of Melbourne.

Acting Roles

Barry Dickins has also appeared as an actor on stage and in movies. His first acting role was in a play called The Ship's Whistles in 1978.

He has acted in several films, including Man of Flowers (1983) and Golden Braid (1990). He even helped write Golden Braid. He also had guest roles on TV shows like Winners (1985) and Wedlocked (1995).

His most recent stage performance was a reading of a play called Ryan. This play was a continuation of his earlier work, Remember Ronald Ryan.

Images for kids

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  Barry Dickins at La Mama Theatre, October 2022