The Matilda Awards for Excellence in Drama were instigated in 1988 by a group of Brisbane and Gold Coast theatre critics, led by Alison Cotes and Sue Gough, who felt that it would be appropriate to give public recognition to some of the very talented theatre workers in south-east Queensland.

There are five annual awards, but not in any particular categories, because the judges felt that categories like Best Actor, Best Designer, Best Director, were too restrictive. If there were, for example, three outstanding designers one year but no really good directors, then it should be possible for the best people to get the awards, no matter what their area of expertise. And so awards are made to the five individuals who the judging panel feel have made the most outstanding contribution to theatre in Queensland throughout the year, and can include actors, stage or lighting designers, directors, translators and playwrights.

Originally the awards were funded by the Premier's Department through the Arts Division, and were of $2000 each, but in 1991 the Arts Advisory Committee decided to cease funding the awards. This decision was made so close to the awards presentation that no alternative sponsor could be found for cash prizes that year, but each winner received instead a weekend package for two people at Sanctuary Cove.

For a number of years after that the awards were funded by the Carnivale Committee, and were $500 each. In 2001 the Awards were again funded by Arts Queensland, and each winner received $2000.

An unspecified number of Highly Commended awards are also made, which carry no prize money but come with a certificate. Sometimes the committee decides to make special commendations, perhaps to a theatre company for an outstanding production, or to honour a particular individual. These commendations also come with a certificate but no prize money.

The initial judging panel consisted of drama critics Alison Cotes of the Courier-Mail, Sue Gough of The Australian, Doug Kennedy of the Gold Coast Bulletin, John Harris of The Sun, and Rod Wissler, lecturer in drama at Brisbane College of Advanced Education. Membership of the panel has changed over the years, but is now made up of drama critics in Brisbane print and electronic media. This year's judges are: Alison Cotes (Courier-Mail), Paul Galloway (Brisbane News), Olivia Stewart (Rave), Katherine Lyall-Watson (Time Off), Mary Nemeth (Rave), Jo Walker (Scene), Nigel Munro-Wallis (ABC radio - 612 4QR), James Harper (Courier-Mail) and John Henningham (Stagediary).

The awards cover live drama only — opera, dance, musical theatre and concerts are not included. The awards are to reward the best of Queensland theatre, and one very strict rule is that, to be eligible, theatre workers have to have made a commitment to Queensland theatre by living and working mainly in the state. This means that interstate actors who fly in for one production are not eligible, nor are touring productions which do not originate in Queensland.

There are no formal entries for the awards, and no nominations from outside the committee. Nor are the winners chosen by popular vote, either of the theatre industry or the general public. They are critics' awards, and only members of the awards committee can make nominations and decide the winners.

The awards are given annually at a public ceremony at the Performing Arts Centre, and are reported widely in the media. Thus the profile of live theatre in the state is raised, and more people in Brisbane become aware of what a vibrant and exciting cultural life the city boasts

And why are they called the Matilda Awards? The name, of course, has a quintessential Australian flavour, but in this case it was inspired by a noble and ancient cattle dog, now dead, who belonged to one of the original judges. This dog, who snored her way through the early meetings and who had never been to the theatre in her life, was called Matilda, and at the beginning the group used her name as a nickname for the awards until some better name came up. But as so often, nicknames become immortalised as titles, so the Matilda awards they are, and will probably always be.

Some previous winners include: Sally McKenzie, Russell Kiefel, Bill Haycock, Antony Phelan, Jennifer Flowers, Sue Rider, Eugene Gilfedder, Robert Arthur, David Walters, Aubrey Mellor, Bryan Nason, David Brown, Jim Vile, David Clendinning, Dale Ferguson, David Bell, Andrew Buchanan, Bille Brown, Brenda McRobie, John Batchelor, Greg Clarke, Paul Denny, Robyn Nevin and Kate Stewart (some of these have won more than once), while special commendations have gone to (among others) Babette Stephens, for a lifetime of service to Queensland theatre, Queensland Theatre Company for the development and production of The Sunshine Club by Wesley Enoch and John Rodgers, John Kotzas and the Queensland Performing Arts Trust for Out of the Box, a festival of early childhood, La Boite Theatre for a production of The Idiot, Wesley Enoch, for services to indigenous theatre, and Jim Vile and Katie Williams for directing and producing Cathedrals Week.



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