Kate McNamara is a poet, playwright and critical theorist. For almost ten years she worked as a dramtaurg with Splinters Theatre Company in Canberra, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. She constructed Faust-The Heat of Knowledge as part of the Australian National University’s 50th Anniversary Celebrations. She was elected to the A.N.U. Emeritus Faculty for her services in the creative arts to her beloved Alma Mater. McNamara’s other works include The Rule of Zip, In the Secret Room, and The Year of the Dog. Her works have been performed throughout Australia, and in Japan, Ireland, Canada and Greece. In 1998 McNamara was invited to Galway to deliver the Keynote Address to the Fourth International Conference of Women Playwrights.
McNamara has always disliked mainstage theatre and worked extensively within the Australian Surrealism Movement as a founding member of underground, cult group Aktion Surreal and later collaborating in establishing Aberrant Genotype Press. Her printed works include Leaves, an anthropological journey through the writer’s unconscious; as well as poetry, short stories and critical theory in a range of journals.
She was mentored in the theatrical arts by the legendary Dorothy Hewett and raised in the poetic arts by A.D.Hope. She likes working in the edges of different cross-arts horizons and feeds off implacable challenges. She lives in Canberra with her children, her cats and her home is often called The Sherbrooke Gallery.
She has been dragged into Web Two Land, somewhat unwillingly, by the very dedicated and persistent Dr. Megan Poore.
Visual works on this site include photography by ‘pling, Fiona Edge and McNamara as well as images of art works from the collection of Marney Virginia Blattman.
Robert said,
April 13, 2008 at 12:33 am
Ah, the Australian Surrealism Movement with its secret handshakes and bone-snapping party salutes …
katemcnamara said,
July 6, 2008 at 12:21 pm
You are amazing!
Anne Caldwell
katemcnamara said,
July 6, 2008 at 12:21 pm
Benefia; Still waiting
katemcnamara said,
July 6, 2008 at 12:21 pm
James michael Rowe: love always
katemcnamara said,
July 6, 2008 at 12:22 pm
Geoffrey Rhys lewis hughes: Wish i had time to read it
katemcnamara said,
July 6, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Well she is my mum what do you expect, on my 18th I told evrybody dhe was amazing, a combination of mother theresa and Ghengis Khan
katemcnamara said,
July 6, 2008 at 12:26 pm
Happy Birthday Enrys Michael emtysmcnamara@hotmail.com.au or see JJJ website for Dishonest Promise. me, Iam obsessede with his song the River
Larry Sistky called him a genius when he was 8 yeras old after playing his compositiont The memory Of Eamonm
Daniel said,
July 13, 2008 at 1:31 am
You sound like a very fascinating person.
Thank you for reading Ninety Four.
http://ninetyfour.wordpress.com
Daniel said,
August 9, 2008 at 1:49 am
to answer your question, In a sense, perhaps.
As a student of music, I constantly find two dimensions to it. Much like a coin, they relate to each other quite respectively. First, you find music in its theory. Fathomed, measured, written down in solid dimensions. Music is communicated through intervals, rhythm and measure. These are the things that Mozart, Bach, all the greats knew how to do that anyone could learn. And then there is the soul of music, essentially the heart. It is what makes you cry when you hear just the right part of your favorite symphony. Or the ballad that you and someone special fall in love to. Its the intangible, yet closer than air feeling inside of us. It is the gift that Mozart, Bach and all the other greats gave to us that we could never reproduce in a thousand lifetimes.
I believe that this beauty most definitely points to something. It is a voice that is echoing through the symphonies, through music. It is echoing inside of us.
Chris Jones said,
August 21, 2008 at 11:23 am
Hey Kate, your web page is most impressive. I tried to send you an e mail, but am not sure if it went. I hope you are well. Well done with the site.