Bryan Dawe
Political Satirist, Speaker and MC
Australia’s legendary political satirist and humourist, Bryan Dawe is best known for his iconic work with John Clarke on the ABC’s 7.30 Report. A master of wit and observation, Bryan also shines as an MC, conference speaker, and after-dinner entertainer, with acclaimed TV and film credits including The Games and The Castle.
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Bryan Dawe is one of Australia’s foremost political satirists and humourists, with a distinguished career writing and performing on national radio, television, and film. He is best known for his iconic collaborations with John Clarke on the ABC’s 7.30 Report, where their sharp satire lampooned the nation’s political leaders.
Bryan has also created and performed beloved satirical radio characters, including Sir Murray Rivers QC and Roly Parks in Letter from Kalangadoo, alongside performing as himself. His wit, observational skills, and adaptable style make him a sought-after MC, facilitator, conference speaker, and after-dinner entertainer.
A versatile performer and writer, Bryan was a cast member and writer on the critically acclaimed ABC TV series The Games, a spoof of the Sydney Olympics. His film credits include the Australian hit comedies The Castle, The Honourable Wally Norman, and Paul Cox’s Lust and Revenge.
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Sir Murray Rivers QC: Sir Murray Rivers QC (retired) is one of Australia’s most controversial legal and political figures. He is a former Victorian Supreme Court Judge and an outspoken media commentator, often described by his friends as ‘The Graham Richardson of the Liberal Party’. His forthright speech “‘Looking Forward to The Past – Australia in the next 10 years” covers a wide range of controversial topics such as Corporate Governance and ethics in banking, leadership, his views on IVF programs, the dangers of Julia Gillard introducing a Republic, greenhouse emissions and the environment – plus whatever else he feels like pontificating upon.
Roly Parks – Letter from Kalangadoo: Roly Parks lives in a town called Kalangadoo – a real town in the South east of Australia. Each week Roly writes a letter to his son, Gene, who lives in London with his partner, Ahmed. The letters are about Roly’s life in Kalangadoo. They are both ironic and humorous but they can also be deeply touching, ranging from his ongoing encounters with his former wife of fifty years, Sonya, to his run-ins with the town gossip Beryl Coates or with the burial of his best mate ‘Bull’ Devine.
After Dinner Speeches as Himself:
Questions Without Notice
Twenty minutes into Bryan’s talk about his life and works, he introduces his alter ego, the pompous and outspoken retired Supreme Court judge, Sir Murray Rivers QC (ret) on screen via satellite from Canberra. For the next ten minutes, Bryan vainly attempts to extract a sensible answer from Sir Murray – one of the truly outrageous curmudgeons on the speaker circuit. It’s a clever illusion by one of Australia’s finest satirists.
Nothing Organised
This presentation takes its cue from Spike Milligan’s famous statement ‘I’ve got nothing organised – so nothing can go wrong.’ Bryan takes us on a personal journey into his creative life, from growing up in working class Port Adelaide to the creation of his two most loved characters – ‘Roly Parks’ and the outrageous conservative ‘Sir Murray Rivers QC’. He also talks about working with John Clarke and the making of The Games.
The Art of Catching Trains
A humorous and informative presentation which takes the audience on a romantic journey with the much train-travelled Bryan around Eastern and Central Europe. Throughout, Bryan interweaves stories, photos and video footage tantalising the traveller to take their time, their wine and perhaps their friends on a ‘slow coach’ train journey to places such as Prague, Budapest, and Sighisoara and Brasov in Romania.
