Patricia Cornelius

The panel highly commended SHIT by Patricia Cornelius, a ferocious portrayal of utterly damaged women without hope. Written with a mature voice and displaying mastery of language, it is a hard-hitting play about misogyny and violence towards women, of brutalisation begetting brutalisation.

A playwright, novelist, film writer and dramaturg, Patricia Cornelius is a founding member of Melbourne Workers Theatre. She has been the recipient of many awards and fellowships, including a fellowship from the Theatre Board of the Australia Council, the 2012 Patrick White Fellowship, 2014 Victorian Premier’s drama award, 2011 Victorian and NSW Premier’s literary awards, 2006 Patrick White Playwright’s Award, 2009 Richard Wherrett Prize, 2003 Wal Cherry Award and the Jill Blewitt Award. She has written more than 25 plays, earning her ten Awgies for stage, community, theatre for young people and feature film adaptation. Her most recent works are Big heartSavagesDo not go gentle...SlutLove and The call.