OBSERVER: Sad passing of Barry Dickins
In 2014, I first had the pleasure of meeting Barry Dickins when he accompanied his brother Rob to a recording session of Rob’s delightful children’s radio play, Max the Polar Bear, which I directed for broadcast on 88.3 Southern FM.
It was wonderful news in 2022 when Barry kindly agreed to be interviewed to share his life story for a Theatre Heritage Australia oral history project.
Barry Dickins was a fantastic storyteller – we ran out of time in the first session – and a second recording session was scheduled for the following week.
The two-part oral history interview in which Barry generously shares his story from childhood, covering his work in the arts for over half a century, can be heard on theatreheritage.org.au/oral-history/interviews/item/857-barry-dickins accompanied by a transcript.
Barry Dickins was an award-winning Australian playwright, author, visual artist, actor, poet, educator, illustrator, cartoonist, writer-in-residence, fellowship winner, journalist, screenwriter and radio playwright.
He contributed nearly 60 plays to the Australian drama repertoire, particularly for the independent theatrical arts sector, and authored more than thirty fiction/non-fiction and children’s books.
In 1995, the play Remember Ronald Ryan by Barry Dickins won the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award.
In 2008, the Barry Dickins’ play Whiteley’s Incredible Blue received the R. E. Ross Trust Playwright Script Development Award, and in 2010, Barry Dickins received the same award for his play A Kind of Fabulous Hatred, both presented at fortyfivedownstairs.
Most importantly, Barry Dickins was a kind, caring person who highly valued the importance of humility as a writer.
His contribution to the Australian literary and performing arts scene has been significant.
Deepest condolences to Barry’s son Louis, his family and friends.
Vale Barry Dickins (November 6, 1949 – July 13, 2026)
Cheryl Threadgold
Pictured: Barry Dickins. Photo: Malcolm Threadgold