The 1890s also saw a similar nationalistic burst in the performing arts. Louis Esson began writing plays in self-consciously Australian idiom. Dramas emerged in Melbourne and created a lively, radical, political theatre in Australia for the first time. Melbourne’s experimental theatres of the 1970s (such as La Mama and The Pram Factory) provided artistic focus. Amoung the playwrights fostered were Jack Hibbered (author of “Dimboola”, about a country wedding – and the most successful piece of Australian restaurant theatre stage play), and David Williamson (“Don’s Party”, “The Club” and “Emerald City” were all made into movies). Williamson also wrote the script for movies such as Peter Weir’s 1981 “Gallipoli” which launched Weir to Hollywood.

Drama also developed from such elegies for lost youth as Ray Lawlor’s “Summer of the Seventeenth Doll” to the plays such as Alan Seymour’s “One day of the Year” which dealt with the Anzac Day celebrations which Australia ritualistically celebrate for its defeat at Gallipolli in World War 1.