Richard Wherrett

Richard Bruce Wherrett AM (10 December 1940 – 7 December 2001) was an Australian theatrical director, whose career spanned 40 years.

Life and career

Richard Wherrett was born in 1940; his elder brother was the future motoring journalist Peter Wherrett. He was educated at Trinity Grammar School in Sydney.^[1] He attended the University of Sydney with Clive James, Germaine Greer, Bruce Beresford, Ken Horler, Mungo McCallum, Bob Ellis, John Bell, John Gaden, Laurie Oakes and Les Murray.

He was the founding director of the Sydney Theatre Company. He directed 127 professional theatre productions, including Hag by Sally Morrison at the 1976 National Playwrights Festival. In 1987 he directed his first grand opera for the Victoria State Opera at the State Theatre Melbourne. Turandot, Giacomo Puccini's final opera, was a lavish production starring Corneliu Murgu, Olivia Stapp and Glenys Fowles, with the State Orchestra of Victoria conducted by Richard Divall.^[2]

Richard Wherett was the creative director for the lighting of the torch segment of the Opening Ceremony for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

With his brother Peter he wrote a memoir, Desirelines. He also wrote The Floor of Heaven: My Life in Theatre in 2000.

Personal life

Richard and Peter Wherrett's father was a cross-dresser, and an abusive and violent alcoholic. Peter also became a cross-dresser. Richard knew he was gay from the age of 17. Nevertheless, he had a well-publicised relationship with the actress Jacki Weaver in the 1970s.^[3]

Honours

He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1984 for his services to the theatre.^[4]

Death and funeral

Richard Wherrett died of liver failure on 7 December 2001, three days before his 61st birthday, after 15 years warding off the effects of HIV. His funeral service was held at St John's Anglican Church, Darlinghurst, with ushers provided by the Sydney Opera House.^[5] The General Manager of the Opera House, Michael Lynch, dimmed the lights on the Opera House sails in what Jacki Weaver called "a movingly fitting tribute."

References

• Richard Wherrett (2000). The floor of heaven : my life in theatre. Sydney : Hodder Headline. ISBN 0-7336-1049-8. 
• Philip Parsons, Victoria Chance (Ed.) (1995). Companion to theatre in Australia. Sydney : Currency Press in association with Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-86819-357-7. 
• Jacki Weaver (2005). Much love, Jac x. Crows Nest, N.S.W. : Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-74114-618-6. 
• http://protocat.nla.gov.au/Record/104027
• http://www.abc.net.au/7.30/content/2001/s437078.htm