Robert J. Merritt facts for kids

Robert James Merritt (1945 – May 2011) was an important Aboriginal Australian writer and activist. People knew him as Bob Merritt or Bobby Merritt. He is famous for his play The Cake Man. He also started the Eora Centre for the Visual and Performing Arts.

Early Life and Background

Bob Merritt was born in 1945. He grew up in a large Wiradjuri family. His birthplace was Erambie Mission, near Cowra, New South Wales. He had a son named Robert.

A Creative Career

Writing The Cake Man

Bob Merritt wrote his famous play, The Cake Man, in 1974. He wrote it while he was in Bathurst Gaol. This was during a time when there were riots in the prison.

The play is about the experiences of Indigenous Australians living on missions. It shows the unfairness and challenges they faced. A professor named Julian Meyrick called the play "beautifully nuanced realism".

The Cake Man was first performed on January 12, 1975. It was shown at the Black Theatre Arts and Culture Centre in Redfern. Bob Maza directed this first show.

In 1977, the play was performed again. This time, it was at the Bondi Pavilion Theatre. This was a big moment. It was the first play by an Indigenous Australian to be shown by professional actors in a major Australian theatre.

The play even traveled overseas. In 1982, it was performed at the World Theatre Festival in Denver, Colorado, USA. The audience loved it and gave it standing ovations.

• Brian Syron played the main male role in the first two productions.
• Justine Saunders played the main female character, Ruby. She also played Ruby in the 1982 show.
• Brian Syron directed the play in 1982.

Syron and Merritt created the Aboriginal Theatre Company. Its main goal was to produce The Cake Man.

Film Work

In 1983, Bob Merritt helped write a film called The City's Edge. It was a film noir style movie. The film was released in the UK but not widely in Australia.

He also wrote the script for the 1985 film Short Changed. Students from the Eora Centre were in the cast. George Ogilvie directed this film. The film shows the daily struggles of an Aboriginal man. It was nominated for five AFI Awards.

Founding the Eora Centre

In July 1984, Merritt started the Eora Centre for the Visual and Performing Arts. It is in Chippendale, Sydney. The centre helps Aboriginal students train in the arts. It offers an alternative to other big schools like NIDA.

Merritt was a consultant for a documentary film about the centre. The film was called Eora Corroboree (1985). It was part of a series called Black Futures. The famous actor David Gulpilil helped with the music. Eora Corroboree was nominated for an AWGIE award. It was also shown at major film festivals around the world.

Activism and Advocacy

Bob Merritt was a strong grassroots activist. He used his writing to talk about dispossession. This is how Aboriginal people lost their land. He focused on how this affected Aboriginal people, especially those in cities. He always showed a positive image of Aboriginal people through his work.

Other Important Roles

In 1977, Merritt worked for the Aboriginal Legal Service in Sydney.

From 1986 to 1989, he was the chairman of the Aboriginal Arts Board. This made him the first Aboriginal person on the Australia Council.

He also chaired the Festival of Pacific Arts in 1988.

Recognition and Awards

Director George Ogilvie called Bob Merritt "an extraordinary talent".

In 1986, he won the FAW Patricia Weickhardt Award. This award is given to an Aboriginal writer.

His film Corroboree Eora received an AWGIE nomination. His screenplay for Short Changed was also nominated for an AFI Award.

Later Years

Bob Merritt was known as Bobby to his family and friends. He lived in Erskineville, Sydney. He passed away in May 2011, at the age of 66. His funeral was held at St Mary's Catholic Church in Erskineville.

Filmography

• The City's Edge (1983)
• Short Changed (1986)