Ziggy Sawdust - ProfilesArchive

About Me

Australian theatre director / teacher / writer / occassional performer. Graduate of Sydney University and NIDA (Directors Course 1986); former Artistic Director of ATYP and Lamplight Theatre; directing veteran with over fifty major credits with favourite productions including "..Benno Blimpie", "Marat/Sade", "Don's Party", "A Dream for Tonight", "Small Poppies", "Susumu's Story", "Coming Attractions" and "The Durang Code". Currently teaching "Acting for Stage and Screen" with the legendary George Whaley on the north coast of NSW and taking the occassional Masterclass. I directed the clip below - for a Glam/Bowie influenced band formed by two Aussie rock gods - about ten years ago. A tiny budget and a quick shoot marked my solo video directing debut. The band hated it and it went largely unseen. Please only view if you are over 18 and not offended by burlesque dance. (And please ignore the next six lines : I'm also a compulsive ludite tinkerer!).

Myspace Contact Tables
MySpace Layouts Lyrics
I edited my profile with Thomas' Myspace Editor V4.4
I created my own myspace layout using nUCLEArcENTURy.COM and you should too! You've been marked on my visitor map! Click to zoom in.
Get your own map at hit2map.com

My Interests

Theatre, film, food, music, trash culture, subversion, pacifist politics, magic and illusion, my wife.

I'd like to meet:

Due to the nature of my work and my love of the arts I have been pretty lucky in that regard already. Definite highlights include : lunching with Christopher Durang and a chance encounter with Barry Humphries - both lifelong heroes - during a recent trip to the U.S; Vincent Price, Ian Richardson and Bernard King (the strangest and best 'surrogate dad' imaginable!); my colleaugue George Whaley; ex housemate & "rock legend" Dave Warner; an introduction and 'hello' with Mr Bowie; and getting to meet/know/or work with some very talented people at the start of their careers - inc Toni Collette, Nicole Kidman, Richard Roxburgh, John Doyle, Jon Biggins, Genevieve Lemon, Sean O'Shea, Russell Crowe, Wayne Pygram, Claudia Karvan & Ms Minogue. And Marty (ex "Australian Idol") Warrell stole my haircut! Still left on the 'must-meet-before-either-of-us-cark' list are directors Peter Brook, John Waters, Robert Lepage and, predictably, Mr & Mrs W & S-Y Allen. Who I'd Really Like to Meet (Again) : long lost and/or dear departed parents, rellies, lovers, friends, choreographers and musical directors. Who I'd Like to Meet on MySpace : like-minded theatre workers, creative artists and - to borrow a term from Laurie Anderson - "Content Providers" (!sic?!). And old and new friends.

Music:

Movies:

Television:

Best Ever : UK : "A Very British Coup", "Max Headroom : 20 Minutes into the Future", "Brideshead Revisited", the original "Lives and Loves of a She-Devil" ; U.S : "Soap", "The Gary Shandling Show", "Twin Peaks", "Curb Your Enthusiasm"; Australia : "Number 96", "The Box", "Chances", "King's Kitchen"!! Currently : "The Daily Show", "Life On Mars", "Californication"

Books:

Heroes:

Mssrs Bowie, Durang, Humphries and Whaley.

My Blog

Sir Ian McKellan and "King Lear" Triumphant!

It was my great pleasure to have just attended the opening night of the Royal Shakespeare Company's brief Australian season of Trevor Nunn's production of "King Lear" starring the incredible Sir Ian M...
Posted by Ziggy Sawdust on Mon, 30 Jul 2007 07:24:00 PST

Vale Ian Richardson (1935 - 2007)

Vale Ian Richardson : the original "Marat"; Judi Dench's nude fairy husband (see the late '60s film of "..Dream") and the most charming actor I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Witty, urba...
Posted by Ziggy Sawdust on Sat, 10 Feb 2007 03:13:00 PST

"F Word" Stars in "Neighbours"

A day later and I am still in shock. Last night was a historic moment in the history of Australian television. For American readers I shall explain."Neighbours" is Australia's most successful TV sho...
Posted by Ziggy Sawdust on Fri, 12 Jan 2007 07:31:00 PST

Oscar Predictions (Part 1)

It's only mid November but I'm prepared to start making educated-guesses about next year's Oscars. For atleast a nomination if not a win :PETER O'TOOLE BEST ACTOR VENUSHELEN MIRR...
Posted by Ziggy Sawdust on Wed, 15 Nov 2006 05:30:00 PST

Brief Career History of a Theatre Survivor

Rowan began his career as a theatre director in the early 1980s, whilst studying for an Arts Degree at the University of Sydney, with companies including SUDS, The Rocks Players and The Griffin Theatr...
Posted by Ziggy Sawdust on Wed, 25 Oct 2006 12:11:00 PST

Aussie Legends Cark In Threes : Who's Next?

On Monday Steve Irwin. On Friday Peter Brock. To quote the great Tom Lehrer, "Who's Next?". After "Croccie" and "Brockie" it can't be - tell me it isn't so! - LOCHIE DADDO.Or perhaps it's all the w...
Posted by Ziggy Sawdust on Sat, 09 Sep 2006 08:55:00 PST

Not an entry but a suggestion that you check out my Videos.

Trying to post everyday, but - while I stuggle to work out how to reformat footage so that I can download some original work to My Space - here's a quick note to let you know that hopefully there's so...
Posted by Ziggy Sawdust on Wed, 06 Sep 2006 02:41:00 PST

The Croc Hunter Gets Stung One Last Time! : Vale Steve Irwin?!

First blog entry. Just opened my My Space space a couple of days ago, and some extrordinary news has just prompted me to write a quick first entry. Just turned on the tele to watch 'the briefcase sh...
Posted by Ziggy Sawdust on Mon, 04 Sep 2006 12:41:00 PST