doollee banner
The Playwrights Database
contact doollee


Oriel Gray

ORIEL GRAY

  (1920 - 2003)
Nationality:    Australian
email:    n/a     Website:    n/a

Literary Agent:    n/a

Oriel Gray (26 March 1920 - 30 June 2003) is an award winning Australian dramatist and playwright who wrote from the 1940s to 1960's. the major themes of her work were "social and political issues such as the environment, Aborigines, assimilation and bush life". Gray was born Oriel Bennett in Sydney, New South Wales. She came from a politically active family and was herself a member of theCommunist Party of Australia from 1942 to 1950. She married John Gray in 1940, an actor whom she met while at the Sydney New Theatre and they had a son, Stephen. By 1947 her marriage had broken down and she moved onto a long term relationship with John Hepworth with whom she had two more sons, Peter and Nicholas. Gray died from a heart attack, aged 83 in Heidelberg, Victoria, on 30 June 2003. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriel_Gray

Research:    https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/contributor/227276

Buy Plays with Doollee

Each page of doollee.com has links to play/book outlets, either directly to the Publisher, through Stageplays.com and Amazon to the second hand and 1st editions of AbeBooks. These links will automatically take you to the relevant area obviating the need for further search.
AbeBooks.co.uk   AbeBooks.com   Stageplays.com   amazon.com   amazon.co.uk   amazon.ca
whether you are a Playwright who wishes to make their entry definitive, an unlisted Playwright or a User with a tale to tell - we want to hear from you.
download WORD submission template

below is a list of Oriel Gray's plays - click on a Play Title for more information

         Antarctic Four         Belhe And the Bushranger, The         Bit O' Petticoat, A         Burst Of Summer         Drive A Hard Bargin         Eve Of St Mark, The         Had We But World Enough         Hewers Of Coal         King Who Wouldn't, The         Lawson         Let's Be Offensive         Marx Of Time         Milestones         My Life Is My Affair         Royal Tour         Sky Without Birds         Sur Le Pont         Torrents, The         Western Limit

Antarctic Four

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
New South Wales, NSW     Aug 1967

Organisations:
Third Biennial Northside Arts Festival

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Stage play One act

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/113010

Top of Page Top of Page

Belhe And the Bushranger, The

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
-    

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia. http://www.austlit.edu.au, http://www.austlit.edu.au >>>,   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Storyline for play.

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Bit O' Petticoat, A

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
Based on "The Torrents" by Oriel Gray

1st Produced:
The Playhouse Theatre, Hobart, TAS     14 Feb 1984

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
musical

Parts:
Male:  13            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/19240

Top of Page Top of Page

Burst Of Summer

Synopsis:
study of race relations in a country town

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Little Theatre, South Yarra, VIC     20 Feb 1960

Organisations:
Melbourne Little Theatre Company

1st Published:
in Plays of the 60s Vol 1, Sydney : Currency Press, 1997   868 195456

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  10            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/64450

Top of Page Top of Page

Drive A Hard Bargin

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Ballarat Civic Hall, Ballarat, VIC     Oct 1957

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
one act

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/102359

Top of Page Top of Page

Eve Of St Mark, The

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
New Theatre League, Sydney, NSW     1944

Organisations:
New Theatre League

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
drama

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  3            Other:  -

Further Reference:
https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/22582

Top of Page Top of Page

Had We But World Enough

Synopsis:
A three-act drama about love and racial injustice in a country town

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
New Theatre League, Sydney, NSW     07 Jan 1950

Organisations:
New Theatre League

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
drama

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  5            Other:  -

Further Reference:
https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/22015

Top of Page Top of Page

Hewers Of Coal

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
aka Coal

1st Produced:
-    

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia. http://www.austlit.edu.au, http://www.austlit.edu.au >>>,   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Stage play One act

Parts:
Male:  8            Female:  5            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

King Who Wouldn't, The

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
aka Royal Tour

1st Produced:
-     1952

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia. http://www.austlit.edu.au, http://www.austlit.edu.au >>>,   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Optimistic Comedy 2 acts

Parts:
Male:  8            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Lawson

Synopsis:
based on the poems and stories of Henry Lawson

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
New Theatre League, Sydney, NSW     10 Oct 1943

Organisations:
New Theatre League

1st Published:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia. http://www.austlit.edu.au, http://www.austlit.edu.au >>>,   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Stage play 2 acts

Parts:
Male:  14            Female:  12            Other:  -

Further Reference:
https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/22283

Top of Page Top of Page

Let's Be Offensive

Synopsis:
A topical (political) musical revue

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
New Theatre League, Sydney, NSW     11 Apr 1943

Organisations:
New Theatre League

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
musical revue

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/22292

Top of Page Top of Page

Marx Of Time

Synopsis:
Australian National Identity

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Workers' Art Club, Sydney, NSW     07 Jun 1942

Organisations:
New Theatre League

1st Published:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia. http://www.austlit.edu.au, http://www.austlit.edu.au >>>,   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Stage revue.

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/12204

Top of Page Top of Page

Milestones

Synopsis:
The play is a short socialist history of Australia

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
New Theatre League, Sydney, NSW     23 Jan 1944

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia. http://www.austlit.edu.au, http://www.austlit.edu.au >>>,   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Stage play One act

Parts:
Male:  4            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/22264

Top of Page Top of Page

My Life Is My Affair

Synopsis:
Human Rights

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
New Theatre, Sydney     14 Mar 1947

Organisations:
New Theatre League

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
One act

Parts:
Male:  1            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/22058

Top of Page Top of Page

Royal Tour

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
aka the King Who Wouldn't

1st Produced:
-    

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
Script in the Hanger Collection, Fryer Library, University of Queensland, Australia. http://www.austlit.edu.au, http://www.austlit.edu.au >>>,   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
2 act optimistic comedy Comedy

Parts:
Male:  8            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
-

Top of Page Top of Page

Sky Without Birds

Synopsis:
a three-act Drama from 1950 dealing with isolation and prejudice against postwar immigrants set on a Nullarbor Plain railway siding. Written the year Gray left the Communist party, Sky Without Birds is the first play she wrote rebutting party beliefs and giving primacy to individual morality. Nevertheless, Gray retained her concern for the underprivileged.

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
New Theatre, Sydney     1950

Organisations:
New Theatre League

1st Published:
in Australian Plays of the 50's, ed Katherine Brisbane, Currency Press,    -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  7            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/21294

Top of Page Top of Page

Sur Le Pont

Synopsis:
-

Notes:
A short play by Australian playwright Oriel Gray. Content unknown. This piece was performed alongside Geneva (Act I) by Bernard Shawand The Valiant by Holworthy Hall and Robert Middlemass

1st Produced:
New Theatre League, Sydney, NSW     11 Aug 1945

Organisations:
New Theatre League

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
drama

Parts:
Male:  -            Female:  -            Other:  -

Further Reference:
https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/22179

Top of Page Top of Page

Torrents, The

Torrents, The
When J G Milford arrives in the goldfields town of Koolgalla in the 1890s to take up the position of assistant editor on the argus newspaper, no one is prepared for the consequences. the paper's newest employee challenges not only the company structure, but its ethical base and even the family that runs it. the Torrents was highly acclaimed when named joint winner of the prestigious Playwrights' advisory Board Competition in 1955. the play's comic style belies an underlying contempt for patriarchal chauvinism, irresponsible journalism and political and business opportunism. It could easily be set in the 1990s

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
Stow Hall, Adelaide New Theatre     09 Aug 1956

Organisations:
-

1st Published:
in Australian Women's Writing, Penguin, Melbourne (1988)
Currency Press, Australia (2016) >>>    978-1-92500-595-0

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
Play/Drama

Parts:
Male:  11            Female:  2            Other:  -

Further Reference:
https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/23794

Top of Page Top of Page

Western Limit

Synopsis:
Concerns issues of racism, aboriginal and white Australian relations, and is set in the Kimberley region of Australia

Notes:
-

1st Produced:
New Theatre League, Sydney, NSW     21 Feb 1946

Organisations:
New Theatre League

1st Published:
-   -

Music:
-

To Buy This Play:
If Publisher (above) is underlined then the play may be purchased by direct click from the Publisher, otherwise (below) are AbeBooks for secondhand, signed & 1st eds and other Booksellers for new copies

Booksellers:

Genre:
drama

Parts:
Male:  5            Female:  4            Other:  -

Further Reference:
https://www.ausstage.edu.au/pages/event/22175

Top of Page Top of Page