cosi speech
Cosi is a semi-autobiographical play. The Lewis that audiences encounter at the end of Louis Nowra’s play Cosi is very different from the Lewis in Act One. Within the context of Australian society undergoing radical social and political changes in the 1970′s, Nowra also charts the radical changes in his protagonist, Lewis. Faced with the daunting job of directing mental patients in an opera, Lewis undergoes transformative personal repercussions. His world views are challenged and enriched by the experience, and he grows in emotional and intellectual ways. His girlfriend’s outburst at him that “Working with these people has changed you!” is quite valid.
He is best known as one of Australia's leading playwrights. His works have been performed by all of Australia's major theatre companies, including Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre Company, State Theatre Company of South Australia, Belvoir, and many others, and have also had many international productions. His most significant plays[1] are Così, Radiance (both of which he turned into films) Byzantine Flowers, coming of age tale Summer of the Aliens and The Golden Age. In 2006 he completed The Boyce Trilogy for Griffin Theatre Company, consisting of The Woman with Dog's Eyes, The Marvellous Boy and The Emperor of Sydney.
His 2009 novel Ice was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award. His script for 1996 movie Cosi, which revolves around a group of mentally-ill patients who put on a play, won the Australian Film Institute Award that year for Best Adapted Screenplay. Nowra's work as a scriptwriter also includes a credit on Irish-set Janeane Garofalo comedy The MatchMaker and globespanning Vincent Ward romance Map of the Human Heart, which was invited to the Cannes Film Festival.
His radio plays include Albert Names Edward, The Song Room, The Widows and the five part The Divine Hammer, which aired on the ABC in 2003.[2]
In March 2007, Nowra published a controversial book on
He is best known as one of Australia's leading playwrights. His works have been performed by all of Australia's major theatre companies, including Sydney Theatre Company, Melbourne Theatre Company, Queensland Theatre Company, State Theatre Company of South Australia, Belvoir, and many others, and have also had many international productions. His most significant plays[1] are Così, Radiance (both of which he turned into films) Byzantine Flowers, coming of age tale Summer of the Aliens and The Golden Age. In 2006 he completed The Boyce Trilogy for Griffin Theatre Company, consisting of The Woman with Dog's Eyes, The Marvellous Boy and The Emperor of Sydney.
His 2009 novel Ice was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award. His script for 1996 movie Cosi, which revolves around a group of mentally-ill patients who put on a play, won the Australian Film Institute Award that year for Best Adapted Screenplay. Nowra's work as a scriptwriter also includes a credit on Irish-set Janeane Garofalo comedy The MatchMaker and globespanning Vincent Ward romance Map of the Human Heart, which was invited to the Cannes Film Festival.
His radio plays include Albert Names Edward, The Song Room, The Widows and the five part The Divine Hammer, which aired on the ABC in 2003.[2]
In March 2007, Nowra published a controversial book on