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Unaccustomed as I am…

When

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‘Friends, Romans, Countrymen…’, ‘I have a dream‘, ‘Well may we say “God Save the Queen”…’, ‘Frankly my dear…’ Speechmaking isn’t all 21st birthday toasts and sporting triumphalism. From great oratory to political grandstanding, eight local writers and performers read their favourite speeches from history, cinema and literature.

Featuring

Sam Pang

Sam Pang is a writer, presenter and broadcaster. His television credits include the hugely popular Santo, Sam and Ed’s Cup Fever and SBS’s coverage of The Eurovision Song Contest. 2012 sees Sam co-hosting Santo, Sam and Ed’s Sports Fever on Channel 7 and will also be seen in Agony Uncles on AB... Read more

Julian Burnside

Julian Burnside is a Melbourne barrister. He joined the Bar in 1976 and took silk in 1989. He specialises in commercial litigation, and has acted in many very contentious cases – the MUA Waterfront dispute; the Cash-for-Comment enquiry; cases for Alan Bond and Rose Porteous – but has be... Read more

Tony Birch

Tony Birch holds the Boisbouvier Chair in Australian Literature at Melbourne University. He is the author of three novels, five short fiction collections, and two poetry books. In 2023 he will release a new novel, Women and Children. ... Read more

Sonya Hartnett

Sonya Hartnett is the award-winning, internationally-acclaimed author of several novels for adults and younger readers. Sonya authored Thursday’s Child, winner of the 2002 Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize, and Forest, winner of the 2002 Children’s Book Council of Australia Book of the Year: O... Read more

Lisa Gorton

Lisa Gorton’s first collection, Press Release, was shortlisted for the Mary Gilmore Award and the Melbourne Prize Best Writing Award, and won the Victorian Premier’s Prize for Poetry. She completed a doctorate on John Donne’s poetry and prose. She has also written a novel for children, Cloudla... Read more

Sophie Black

Sophie Black is a journalist, broadcaster, writer and editor with a focus on the environment, politics, media, the internet and parenting in the end times. She writes regular features and opinion for The Guardian and The Monthly. Black has worked in senior management across cultural and media organi... Read more

Noni Hazlehurst

Noni Hazlehurst is one of Australia’s favourite actors and presenters. The much-loved Playschool presenter, Better Homes and Gardens host, and celebrated film, theatre and TV actress has enjoyed a wide-ranging career. The winner of four AFIs (Little Fish, Waiting At The Royal, Fran and Monkey Grip... Read more

Dave Graney

Dave Graney and drummer Clare Moore played with the Moodists from 1978 to 1986. They then played with the White Buffaloes/Coral Snakes from 1987 to 1997. Then the Royal Dave Graney Show and Lurid Yellow Mist. Now it’s the mistLY. Graney and Moore are joined by Stuart Perera (guitar since 1998) an... Read more

Location

The Wheeler Centre

176 Little Lonsdale Street Melbourne Victoria 3000

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Acknowledgment of Country

The Wheeler Centre acknowledges the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung people of the Kulin Nation as the traditional owners of the land on which we work. We pay our respects to the people of the Kulin Nation and all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders, past and present.