Literary estate of Alex Buzo

pioneering Australian playwright and author

Review: ABC Radio 702 Sydney

Listen to a PODCAST of Diana Simmonds speaking with Richard Glover about Norm & Ahmed plus Shafana & Aunt Sarrinah at the Seymour Centre until August 29 2009. Terrific to hear how much a piece of theatre has affected someone just by the tone of their voice. Click on this link to listen to the PODCAST of the review on August 18th 2009.

Review: beautifully wrought bookends

"Norm & Ahmed and Shafana & Aunt Sarinnah are like beautifully wrought bookends to a part of Australia's recent history and they are both alarmingly topical and their reception will be constantly evolving." Read Diana Simmonds' perceptive and intelligent review on August 18 2009 at Stagenoise.

2009 Alex Buzo Memorial Lecture: Alana Valentine

Listen to Alana Valentine interviewed by Richard Aedy on ABC Radio National's Life Matters about her new play Shafana and Aunt Sarrinah and giving the second annual Alex Buzo Memorial Lecture on August 10th 2009.


Listen to a podcast of the 2009 Alex Buzo Memorial Lecture CAPTIVATED BY REALITY by Alana Valentine. Read an excerpt at the ABC's Unleashed

Review: powerful...fascinating and moving...highly successful

"Sensitive...powerful...fascinating and moving...beautifully performed...This is a highly successful double bill" Read the review of Norm and Ahmed with Shafana and Aunt Sarrinah by Australia's greatest authority on Australian theatre John McCallum in The Australian on August 11 2009.

Review: Extraordinarily brave and bold double bill

"I believe this to be an extraordinarily brave and bold double bill containing four very fine performers...For those who are adventurous and tired of the white, safe, predictable plays of late and who are ready to be truly moved and inspired by theatre: I urge you to see this production." Read full review in Australian Stage Online

Article: Working on fresh approach to Buzo classic

Pictured from left: Alana Valentine, Makiz Ansari and Emma Buzo. Read the article on Shafana and Aunt Sarrinah by Alex Lalak in the Daily Telegraph





Article: Holding a mirror to an Australian classic

Read the article in the Sydney Morning Herald, August 4th 2009





Article in The Sunday Telegraph

The Power of Buzo Inspires Valentine
article by Jo Litson in The Sunday Telegraph on July 26 2009

Article: Triumph of censor's target

I did a phone interview about Norm and Ahmed plus Shafana and Aunt Sarrinah with Graeme Blundell last week crouched in a corner of the foyer of the Governor Macquarie Tower in Sydney's CBD during rush hour for this article in The Australian. I'd just finished a meeting about The Alex Buzo Company's 2010 production Macquarie when he rang. Luckily I carry all my different 'hats' in my handbag and quickly switched back into 2009 mode.

Read Triumph of censor's target in The Australian

Ahmed interviewed for Pakistani TV

Pakistani TV producer/presenter Zahid Minhas from Dosti TV visited rehearsals today to interview myself and actors Laurence Coy and Craig Meneaud about the upcoming season of Norm and Ahmed. I'm fairly sure this is the first time in the work's 40 year history that the Pakistani media have been involved in a production of the play and it felt like everything old was new again. Another layer of the play had been unlocked. After Zahid interviewed us, the tables were turned as we listened to Life According to Zahid. Captivating and highly entertaining!