Cirrus@Austlit

'Steven is in his thirties. He was born with Downs Syndrome. He lives with his ageing mum, loves to watch the cricket on TV and is impressed that commentator Richie Benaud always knows all the answers. In times of stress or confusion, he says, 'I'll write to Richie Benaud', certain that Richie will provide a calm and fair judgement. But there are problems that other members of Steven's family must try to solve for themselves.' (Source: Australian Plays website)

'This article examines the limitations of Australian multiculturalism via an analysis of Simone Lazaroo's semi-autobiographical novel The World Waiting to be Made, which charts the life of a young mixed race woman in suburban Perth. Through a close reading of this novel, this article argues that current modes of multiculturalism are ill-equipped to deal with people of racially and culturally mixed heritages. Furthermore, through an exploration of the novel and the work of Caribbean scholars Édouard Glissant and Fernando Ortiz this essay asserts that concepts of syncretism, opacity and transculturation may provide alternative modes of perceiving difference within the nation.' (Author's abstract)

'The work of theatre practitioners - especially directors, performers, designers - has much to add to the field of Patrick White studies; however, there has been little sustained discussion of White's plays in performance and the insights theatre practitioners can bring to White scholarship. This article focuses on the White productions of director Neil Armfield, especially his 1989 Sydney Theatre Company Ham Funeral and examines Armfield's theatrically tested thesis that metatheatre is the key to White's dramaturgy. The article also looks at the deployment of comedy and the gothic in Ham Funeral and Armfield's later White productions - A Cheery Soul and A Night on Bald Mountain.' (Author's abstract)