image of person or book cover 1354837500109747140.jpg
This image has been sourced from Australian Plays
Alex Buzo Alex Buzo i(A59284 works by) (a.k.a. Alexander John Buzo)
Born: Established: 23 Jul 1944 Sydney, New South Wales, ; Died: Ceased: 16 Aug 2006 Sydney, New South Wales,
Gender: Male
The material on this page is available to AustLit subscribers. If you are a subscriber or are from a subscribing organisation, please log in to gain full access. To explore options for subscribing to this unique teaching, research, and publishing resource for Australian culture and storytelling, please contact us or find out more.

BiographyHistory

Alex Buzo was born in Sydney. He was educated at The Armidale School, the International School in Geneva and the University of New South Wales from which he graduated BA in 1965. Buzo saw his first play through a workshop production in 1967, but the following year he came to national attention with Norm and Ahmed, primarily through a prosecution for obscenity. Buzo's exploration of alienation in this play has remained a common theme in his work. This is often delivered with a clever use of Australian idiom and a critical eye for the hollow desires of educated and prosperous Australians. Buzo's best-known plays are Rooted (1969), The Front Room Boys (1969) and Coralie Lansdowne says No (1974). In the early 1970s Rooted was produced in the USA and in England. In 1972, Buzo was awarded the Australian Literature Society's Gold Medal for his plays Tom and Macquarie. Many of Buzo's plays continue to be taught in high schools and universities. This exposure has been assisted by film and television versions of Norm and Ahmed and Rooted.

In addition to his plays, Buzo wrote novels and several books on sport, tautology, language and theatre. He adapted novels for film and television, including adaptations of Charles Dickens stories. He was co-author of the script for the 1969 film Ned Kelly and was writer-in-residence at many theatre companies, schools and universities.

Buzo died following a long battle with cancer.

Most Referenced Works

Awards for Works

y separately published work icon Tom 1972 (Manuscript version)x400852 Z206947 1972 single work drama humour
1972 joint winner ASAL Awards ALS Gold Medal
y separately published work icon Macquarie : A Play Woollahra : Currency Press , 1971 Z342715 1971 single work drama
1972 joint winner ASAL Awards ALS Gold Medal
y separately published work icon The Front Room Boys : A Play in Twelve Scenes 1969 single work drama humour
— Appears in: Plays 1970; Four Australian Plays 1973; (p. 15-120) Plays of the 60s [Volume 3] 1998; (p. 123-197)
1970 third Captain Cook Bicentenary Awards Drama Section
Last amended 19 Feb 2015 11:17:56
Other mentions of "" in AustLit:
    X