Peter Corrigan, the Bodgie Wolf, and Other Larrikin Tygers of Wrath

Abstract

In the face of being “othered” over issues to do with cultural isolation and derivation, a new generation of Australian architects arose in the 1970s, celebrating Australia’s distinctive regionalism. This regionalist current chimed with the growth of the postmodern movement, which, had done much to liberate the Australian architect from the so-called “cultural cringe,” as he or she no longer felt that they had to hobble after what was happening elsewhere. Among this new cohort of architects, the work of Peter Corrigan is notable for advocating a mongrel postmodern architecture that was positively and distinctively Australian, sampling from the ordinary and dreary Australian suburbs. This article seeks to clarify the architectural quest for an Australian identity in Corrigan’s work, by exploring in depth the interdisciplinary and transatlantic transfer of ideas from theatre to architecture. Corrigan had a long-standing engagement with stage design, and this article will argue that his involvement in “New Wave theatre,” notably the Australian Performing Group (APG), and the appropriation of concepts from directors and playwrights like John Vaccaro, John Romeril, Jerzy Grotowski, Casper Neher, and Bertold Brecht, determined how he transplanted postmodern ideas onto Australian soil.