Abstract
The production of the play Heretic in 1996 prompted a debate over copyright and the dramatic arts in Australia. The playwright David Williamson argued that the role of the writer was supreme. Although he was willing to acknowledge the contributions of other collaborators, the playwright did not believe that these interpreters deserved copyright protection. The director Wayne Harrison advocated a more collaborative vision of the performing arts. He believed that the role of the director and the position of the producer deserved greater legal recognition. Furthermore he was also willing to countenance limited rights for performers. This article argues that recognition should be accorded to all of the main collaborators in the performing arts. It contends that economic rights and moral rights should not be just limited to the writer, the director, and the producer, but they should extend to the performers and the designers.
Highlights
The dispute between the playwright David Williamson and the director and producer Wayne Harrison over the production of the play Heretic was fought out in the theatre community, the legal system, and the media.[1]
Williamson and Harrison decided to collaborate upon a play about the intellectual dispute between the Australian academic Derek Freeman and Margaret Mead, the author of On The Coming Of Age In Samoa.[2]
Williamson complained that the production by Harrison and his collaborators took liberties with the script. He was bitter that the character of Margaret Mead was transformed into public icons of the 1960s, such as Marilyn Monroe, Barbara Streisand and Jackie Kennedy
Summary
Williamson cast the debate over the interpretation of Heretic in terms of romantic authorship and individual possession He maintains that the authority of the writer and the validity of the written text that they produce are paramount. Harrison reflects that Williamson went on holidays and gave him permission to workshop the play and take the initiative in solving problems encountered by the cast and uncovered in the text. He communicated any changes to the play by telephone and fax. There needs to be a greater consciousness of copyright law in the field of the performing arts
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
