Helen Garner and Hannie Rayson

Two Melbourne literary icons come together in one big event, as Helen Garner interviews Hannie Rayson, ‘Melbourne’s most influential playwright’, about her life and work – with all the insight and flair we’ve come to expect from this beloved chronicler of our city.

Hannie Rayson made history when her stage hit Life After George became the first play to be shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award, and her first major success, Hotel Sorrento was made into a feature film and is a staple of VCE reading lists. She has also written for television, including popular hit Sea Change.

In her long-awaited memoir, Hello Beautiful, Hannie presents scenes from her own life, with all the insight, wit and narrative flair she has perfected in her plays. From a childhood in Brighton to a urinary tract infection in Spain, from a body buried under the house to a play on a tram, she shares a hilarious (and often dramatic) behind-the-scenes look at the life of an Australian success story.