I first came to Hadelade in what mid sixties, late sixties, and I was privileged enough to see one of the best politicians in action that I've ever seen. I didn't necessarily agree with his politics at the time, but Don Dunstan was without question one of the most brilliant and charismatic politicians that this nation has ever seen or is likely to see. He was the consummate politician. He was arty, was theatrically, he was witty, he was incisive, and he believed me he can be intimidating. He was a remarkable man in life, and now it seems his life has been turned into a play. That playwright is Neil Cole, who joins me now, Neil, good morning to you.

I first came to Hadelade in what mid sixties, late sixties, and I was privileged enough to see one of the best politicians in action that I've ever seen. I didn't necessarily agree with his politics at the time, but Don Dunstan was without question one of the most brilliant and charismatic politicians that this nation has ever seen or is likely to see. He was the consummate politician. He was arty, was theatrically, he was witty, he was incisive, and he believed me he can be intimidating. He was a remarkable man in life, and now it seems his life has been turned into a play. That playwright is Neil Cole, who joins me now, Neil, good morning to you.

Good morning.

Good morning.

This is wonderful news to someone who lived through the Dunstein, who was a journalist at the time, to see the man work and to know that his work is going to be shown to a whole generation of people who only know of the name Don Dunstan. What made you decide to write a play of this nature?

This is wonderful news to someone who lived through the Dunstein, who was a journalist at the time, to see the man work and to know that his work is going to be shown to a whole generation of people who only know of the name Don Dunstan. What made you decide to write a play of this nature?

Well, I've written many plays, history, plays about people, and I was working on the Voice to Parliament and the Note on the s Case and I went out to Melton and I couldn't believe the racism of people and against the voice. And I've been thinking about something to do with Don Dunstan because I'd studied him many years ago, forty years ago, and I thought i'd write about white Australia his involvement. He was the one who changed the White Australia policy within the Labor Party in nineteen sixty five, so it was one of the biggest decisions in Australia's history now postcolonial effort. And then I was going to do I was going to like every other Melbourne and It wants to come and do a play at the Adelaide Fringe. I thought I'd do something very simple, but it became very complex and interesting, and I decided to write a full play which has got three actors and an African woman singing. But the South Australian history Cutch Gig Mackie contacted me and asked me if we do it during the history sessional rather than the thrings, and I hadn't intended that. I was absolutely wrapped when he asked me, because I love history and there's no better really historical figure to write about it. In Australia, so that's why that's the genesis of it, and it became much bigger than just White Australia. There's just so many issues. It goes through nearly an hour and a half, and a lot of the issues you could write a play of themselves. So it's truncated a lot of information into that.

Well, I've written many plays, history, plays about people, and I was working on the Voice to Parliament and the Note on the s Case and I went out to Melton and I couldn't believe the racism of people and against the voice. And I've been thinking about something to do with Don Dunstan because I'd studied him many years ago, forty years ago, and I thought i'd write about white Australia his involvement. He was the one who changed the White Australia policy within the Labor Party in nineteen sixty five, so it was one of the biggest decisions in Australia's history now postcolonial effort. And then I was going to do I was going to like every other Melbourne and It wants to come and do a play at the Adelaide Fringe. I thought I'd do something very simple, but it became very complex and interesting, and I decided to write a full play which has got three actors and an African woman singing. But the South Australian history Cutch Gig Mackie contacted me and asked me if we do it during the history sessional rather than the thrings, and I hadn't intended that. I was absolutely wrapped when he asked me, because I love history and there's no better really historical figure to write about it. In Australia, so that's why that's the genesis of it, and it became much bigger than just White Australia. There's just so many issues. It goes through nearly an hour and a half, and a lot of the issues you could write a play of themselves. So it's truncated a lot of information into that.

Now, Neil, you've been a politician. What made Don Dunstan so special as a politician?

Now, Neil, you've been a politician. What made Don Dunstan so special as a politician?

Well, I think, firstly in phormastically, it would be his ideology. He had a very strong sense of justice, and he particularly with his indigenous work early on, was quite you know, he was forty years ahead of his time with that. But he also was extremely intelligent, and I think in intelligence and brasilient, plus his ideology and also he being sort of bipolar and gay, I think he sort of things differently. I may be extrapolating there, but those were the qualities I found once I started researching him completely. I had read his book of forty years ago. I thought it was brilliant and really good, so then I just got up to date with all the latest biographies. But those would be the factors. I would say, his intelligence being probably the biggest factor.

Well, I think, firstly in phormastically, it would be his ideology. He had a very strong sense of justice, and he particularly with his indigenous work early on, was quite you know, he was forty years ahead of his time with that. But he also was extremely intelligent, and I think in intelligence and brasilient, plus his ideology and also he being sort of bipolar and gay, I think he sort of things differently. I may be extrapolating there, but those were the qualities I found once I started researching him completely. I had read his book of forty years ago. I thought it was brilliant and really good, so then I just got up to date with all the latest biographies. But those would be the factors. I would say, his intelligence being probably the biggest factor.

Neil, How would you see Don Dunstan. We're talking sixties and seventies and the impact he made. What sort of impact would Don Dunston make on current society.

Neil, How would you see Don Dunstan. We're talking sixties and seventies and the impact he made. What sort of impact would Don Dunston make on current society.

It would be hard, be hard because of the twenty four hour cycle. It's a lot harder to do daring things these days. People they're so conscious of what's going on that they tend to go along. So you get, without being disrespectful to anthonioblu So, I like, but you know, he's not a charismatic figure. It's just a plotter. It just goes on and probably that's the only way you can do it these days. Somebody like Dunstan would do well. I think could do very well in today's environment. But I don't think he'd be quite the character that he was.

It would be hard, be hard because of the twenty four hour cycle. It's a lot harder to do daring things these days. People they're so conscious of what's going on that they tend to go along. So you get, without being disrespectful to anthonioblu So, I like, but you know, he's not a charismatic figure. It's just a plotter. It just goes on and probably that's the only way you can do it these days. Somebody like Dunstan would do well. I think could do very well in today's environment. But I don't think he'd be quite the character that he was.

I was just going to say, yeah, the character he was. I mean, remember the time he was reading poetry at the zoo. He wore pink hot pants into Parliament when there was a prediction that a tidal wave was going to hit Glenell Beach. He was down there with a megaphone, you know, and there were thousands of people around him. You know. He adored an audience. He was a born performer. He opened a restaurant in Norwood, he wrote a cookbook. I mean, this was a man of many, many dimensions.

I was just going to say, yeah, the character he was. I mean, remember the time he was reading poetry at the zoo. He wore pink hot pants into Parliament when there was a prediction that a tidal wave was going to hit Glenell Beach. He was down there with a megaphone, you know, and there were thousands of people around him. You know. He adored an audience. He was a born performer. He opened a restaurant in Norwood, he wrote a cookbook. I mean, this was a man of many, many dimensions.

I think in writing the play there are things like the pink shorts are far bigger the way I was extrapolated again in the play that something like the pink shorts are a huge thing, that it's not just a stunt. It's much bigger. It's got huge connotations for gay community. But also it was a way of saying what he said in the book was people just upset for the color pink. That was the big issue, but it was the connotations. So I think you can look at that things and yes, he loved his theater and he loved all these things, but you're also saw I based it originally on a evening with Don Dunstan at the Art Center before the Art Center was built in nineteen seventy two. It's a YouTube, and he was really extraordinary in his understanding of language and communication and talked about his legal career and other things. It was just fantastic. And nobody in politics has ever been like him. Nobody's been able to transcend the politics that you have to live having been a politician you know, the awful day to day grind. He has really did transcend it. And I've said to people that the play was actually easy to write, because when you're writing, it's a craft and you hope it becomes an art form. With him, he was an art form before I started writing the play.

I think in writing the play there are things like the pink shorts are far bigger the way I was extrapolated again in the play that something like the pink shorts are a huge thing, that it's not just a stunt. It's much bigger. It's got huge connotations for gay community. But also it was a way of saying what he said in the book was people just upset for the color pink. That was the big issue, but it was the connotations. So I think you can look at that things and yes, he loved his theater and he loved all these things, but you're also saw I based it originally on a evening with Don Dunstan at the Art Center before the Art Center was built in nineteen seventy two. It's a YouTube, and he was really extraordinary in his understanding of language and communication and talked about his legal career and other things. It was just fantastic. And nobody in politics has ever been like him. Nobody's been able to transcend the politics that you have to live having been a politician you know, the awful day to day grind. He has really did transcend it. And I've said to people that the play was actually easy to write, because when you're writing, it's a craft and you hope it becomes an art form. With him, he was an art form before I started writing the play.

I guess it would have been, you know, it would be easier to work out what to leave out than put in, because there was there's just so many angles you could have tackled it from well.

I guess it would have been, you know, it would be easier to work out what to leave out than put in, because there was there's just so many angles you could have tackled it from well.

And there were so many important issues too, such as the death of doctor Duncan, the homosexual war, trying to get the changes in nine and sixty five, his opposition to the Vietnam War. But people forget but in nineteen sixty five everybody was pro the war, and in nineteen sixty six the Labor Party got absolutely massacred in an election. He was out there campaigning against the wars. So those things, and of course the Chief Commissioner. We do that in the play. We do it as a little operetta in the middle of the play. But as I said at the start, if you wanted to, and I'd love to try it, you could actually write five or six plays about him. Because there are so many major changes and major issues that he was in board with and you know, as I said, it was really his intelligence. It was just so great that not many people can transcend the politics and become that sort of art form that he was. As you saw him and you saw how he acted.

And there were so many important issues too, such as the death of doctor Duncan, the homosexual war, trying to get the changes in nine and sixty five, his opposition to the Vietnam War. But people forget but in nineteen sixty five everybody was pro the war, and in nineteen sixty six the Labor Party got absolutely massacred in an election. He was out there campaigning against the wars. So those things, and of course the Chief Commissioner. We do that in the play. We do it as a little operetta in the middle of the play. But as I said at the start, if you wanted to, and I'd love to try it, you could actually write five or six plays about him. Because there are so many major changes and major issues that he was in board with and you know, as I said, it was really his intelligence. It was just so great that not many people can transcend the politics and become that sort of art form that he was. As you saw him and you saw how he acted.

You know, he was a consummate performer at all levels. And you could, and as I said, you did not necessarily have to agree with his politics to realize that this was a man of massive intellect, massive principle who was a leader, not a follower. And you know, I think it'd be reasonable to say that we don't have all that many politicians in that realm in this day and age.

You know, he was a consummate performer at all levels. And you could, and as I said, you did not necessarily have to agree with his politics to realize that this was a man of massive intellect, massive principle who was a leader, not a follower. And you know, I think it'd be reasonable to say that we don't have all that many politicians in that realm in this day and age.

And the other thing was that he was a national politician. He made a big input on the national scene.

And the other thing was that he was a national politician. He made a big input on the national scene.

From a very small base actually because I mean, let's face it, south of Stradia was always seen as the backwater. So for someone to make an impact that he made on the national stage just showed, you know, a larger than life character he was.

From a very small base actually because I mean, let's face it, south of Stradia was always seen as the backwater. So for someone to make an impact that he made on the national stage just showed, you know, a larger than life character he was.

That's absolutely correct, and there's a large life, that's for sure.

That's absolutely correct, and there's a large life, that's for sure.

Now, Neil, I was just going to say, how have you staged this? I believe part of it sort of like a cabaret.

Now, Neil, I was just going to say, how have you staged this? I believe part of it sort of like a cabaret.

The whole thing's done as a cabaret, right in a cabaret in nine and said in nine and ninety six. And the idea is that we have the singer and then we moved in and out of Gift in parts, and we create excuse me, we create a cookbook when he does his cookbook, and everything sort of moves in and out. It's a very interactive playing. It's not boring, and one hopes minute if.

The whole thing's done as a cabaret, right in a cabaret in nine and said in nine and ninety six. And the idea is that we have the singer and then we moved in and out of Gift in parts, and we create excuse me, we create a cookbook when he does his cookbook, and everything sort of moves in and out. It's a very interactive playing. It's not boring, and one hopes minute if.

It's about Tom Dunston it's not going to be boring.

It's about Tom Dunston it's not going to be boring.

We hope not. And the music is all a bit a bit left wing. The music, you know, we do Mac the Knife, which is an old socialist song, and we do I'm sorry, I've just forgotten for a second, we do Strange Fruit, and we're going to do Joe Hill. So there's a lot of left wing music that fits into his actions and activity.

We hope not. And the music is all a bit a bit left wing. The music, you know, we do Mac the Knife, which is an old socialist song, and we do I'm sorry, I've just forgotten for a second, we do Strange Fruit, and we're going to do Joe Hill. So there's a lot of left wing music that fits into his actions and activity.

We certainly look forward to seeing it, Neil. That's the eighth and sixteenth of May at Airs House Conservatory and there it's.

We certainly look forward to seeing it, Neil. That's the eighth and sixteenth of May at Airs House Conservatory and there it's.

A big step forward during it. There it's a phenomenal space. So we're hoping it does well.

A big step forward during it. There it's a phenomenal space. So we're hoping it does well.

I'm sure it will, Neil. Thanks for your time. Today.

I'm sure it will, Neil. Thanks for your time. Today.

Good luck to Thank you very much.

Good luck to Thank you very much.

Neil Cole play right of an audience with Don Dunstan and anyone who lived through the Dunston era, if you're listening and ded in your thoughts of Don Dunstan, and he polarized people, there's no question about that. He wasn't a matter of Ah, we all loved Don Dunstan. No, we all didn't love Don Dunstan. He was radical in a lot of his views came out of left field. He was way ahead of his time in so many things. He was intimidating as a journalist. There were the two most intimidating people I've ever interviewed one Bob Hawk to Don Dunstan, and I don't know which one was the most intimidating. But I tell you what, you didn't ask Don Dunstan a question that you didn't know what the answer should be, or a frivolous question. He had no time. He didn't suffer fools gladly Don Dunstan, but he left an impact. He advanced South Australia from being a state that was a real ross belt state. I think, I mean, we have two premiers in the state who have done the most Thomas Playford, with his benevolent dictatorship, brought us through an industrial period that we started thriving. And then we had someone like Don Dunstan who took us to that next level and the rest of Australia looked on and thought they must be doing something right. I always remember, was it the seventy two election. GoF Whitlam charismatic man himself, no question about that, But the election campaign leading up to the seventy two election was starting to splutter. It was just losing impetus and Don Dunstan had been overseas. I don't know why, but he came back and all of a sudden he picked up the labor campaign and just ran with it and GoF even someone of the magnitude of GoF Whitlam, took a back seat. Because Dunstan the power of the man, the power is persuasion. The strength of his argument I think was largely responsible for Whitlam getting into power. Five Double A Mornings with Graham Goodings

Neil Cole play right of an audience with Don Dunstan and anyone who lived through the Dunston era, if you're listening and ded in your thoughts of Don Dunstan, and he polarized people, there's no question about that. He wasn't a matter of Ah, we all loved Don Dunstan. No, we all didn't love Don Dunstan. He was radical in a lot of his views came out of left field. He was way ahead of his time in so many things. He was intimidating as a journalist. There were the two most intimidating people I've ever interviewed one Bob Hawk to Don Dunstan, and I don't know which one was the most intimidating. But I tell you what, you didn't ask Don Dunstan a question that you didn't know what the answer should be, or a frivolous question. He had no time. He didn't suffer fools gladly Don Dunstan, but he left an impact. He advanced South Australia from being a state that was a real ross belt state. I think, I mean, we have two premiers in the state who have done the most Thomas Playford, with his benevolent dictatorship, brought us through an industrial period that we started thriving. And then we had someone like Don Dunstan who took us to that next level and the rest of Australia looked on and thought they must be doing something right. I always remember, was it the seventy two election. GoF Whitlam charismatic man himself, no question about that, But the election campaign leading up to the seventy two election was starting to splutter. It was just losing impetus and Don Dunstan had been overseas. I don't know why, but he came back and all of a sudden he picked up the labor campaign and just ran with it and GoF even someone of the magnitude of GoF Whitlam, took a back seat. Because Dunstan the power of the man, the power is persuasion. The strength of his argument I think was largely responsible for Whitlam getting into power. Five Double A Mornings with Graham Goodings