Laurence Collinson

Laurence Collinson (1925–86) was a British and Australian playwright, actor, poet, journalist, and secondary school teacher.

Born in Yorkshire, England, Collinson's family moved to Australia in 1930. While still at Brisbane State High School, Collinson and fellow students Barrie Reid and Cecel Knopke started the magazine Barjai: A Meeting Place for Youth, which from 1943–44 published the literary avant-garde in Adelaide and Melbourne. He received a secondary teaching diploma from Merrer House in Melbourne and from 1955 to 1961 taught mathematics and English in various Melbourne secondary schools. From 1961 to 1964, Collinson worked as the editor of The Educational Magazine. In 1964, Collinson returned to England. In the 1970s Laurence worked in his West Hampstead apartment as a Gestalt / Transactional Analysis group therapist.

He died in London 10 November 1986

Poetry

• Poet’s Dozen (1953)
• The Moods of Love (1957)
• Who is Wheeling Grandma? (1967)
• Hovering Narcissus (1977)

Plays

• No Sugar for George (performed in Brisbane, 1949)
• Friday Night at the Schrammers (1962)
• The Zelda Trio (performed 1961 in Melbourne, and 1974 in London )
• A Slice of Birthday Cake (1965)
• Thinking Straight (1975)
• A Penny for Israel (1978 performed at The Almost Free Theatre, London)

Television Plays

• Uneasy Paradise (Australia, 1963)
• Nude with Violin (Noël Coward, television adaptation by Collinson, Australia, 1964)
• The Audition (Australia, 1964)
• The Moods of Love (Australia, 1964)
• Number Thirty Approximately (England, 1968)
• Loving Israel (England, 1968)
• The Girl From Upstairs (England, 1971)

Radio Plays

• A slice of birthday cake (Australia, 1963)
• The slob on Friday (Canada, 1969)

References