Pavement Blog

The economy. And what it says about humanity. Oh, so many things.
Sometimes theatre makers think they are smarter than their audiences. We’re not. We have special skills perhaps, and good on us for being brave, for being brilliant, but as soon as we start disrespecting the intelligence of our patrons, blaming them for misunderstanding us, well, we are no longer brave and no longer brilliant.

Why do you write?

Always have. It makes me happy. And I can tell myself I’m changing the world. And I have death anxiety, so it’s about making something beautiful and permanent. For some reason permanent is important to me, although to be honest I can’t really work out why. If I wasn’t a writer I would have been a Quantum Physicist.


Amelia Roper is an Australian playwright now studying at the Yale School of Drama, and recipient of the Howard Stein Scholarship. Her work has been produced and developed in Australia, the USA, Russia, Canada and the UK. Plays include, HONG KONG DINOSAUR — first commissioned by the Melbourne Theatre Company (2009), developed for a New York City showcase with mentor Will Eno (2010), presented at the Bay Area Playwrights Festival (2011). SHE RODE HORSES LIKE THE STOCK EXCHANGE — Yale New Play Lab (2011), Moscow Playwright & Director Center, Russia (in translation, 2011). BIG SKY TOWN — St Martins National Playwriting Award (2007), published by Full Dress Publishing (2009), two sold-out productions and a regional tour (Australia, 2008/9). CAMBERWELL HOUSE — three productions in Australia, three in the USA (Boston, NYC & Colorado) and one in London, soon to be published. Her first play, FLYWIRE, won a Monash National Playwriting Award (2003). Today she is rehearsing A DUCK ON A BIKE at the Yale School of Drama (1,2,3 December 2011). Visit www.ameliaroper.com for more.