Eugene Schlusser was born in Frankfurt/Main in 1939, of Russian parents, and immigrated to Australia in 1950. He was educated in Northam and the Leederville Technical College in Perth. He completed a BA Honours degree studying English and German literature. He took full advantage of the freedom of student life and immersed himself in drama and literature. He became President of the Dramatic Society and Director of the First Intervarsity Drama Festival ever held in Perth. At the same time he played the roles of Oswald in Ghosts, both Dromios in A Comedy of Errors, Everyman in Everyman , Fak in The Sport of My Mad Mother, among others.
Over a few beers at a nearby hotel John O'Brien invited him to become co-founder of The Critic. While at first planned to be a fortnightly broadsheet dedicated to the craft and politics of the arts it became a three weekly quarto sized publication. He became drama editor and business manager. The Critic advocated open discussion of arts organizations such as The Elizabethan Theatre Trust, The Perth Playhouse and the Festival of Perth. It campaigned for the preservation of heritage buildings like 'The Barracks', improved accoustic design for the Concert Hall, and the inclusion of domestic productions and exhibitions in the Festival. It ran regular reviews of performances, exhibitions, films, architecture and book reviews. Randolph Stow, Katherine Brisbane, Dorothy Hewitt, Patrick Hutchings and Phillip Parsons were among the contributors. The Critic continued for 10 years until 1970. Schlusser also directed the Intervarsity Art Exhibition and helped build the first theatre on campus, The Dolphin, before leaving W.A to join the ABC in Port Moresby. He later worked in London and Europe, and then returned to Melbourne where he now runs his own media production company.(Biography supplied by the author).
