The Australian theatre world has lost one of its most provocative and distinctive voices with the passing of Jack Hibberd, who died 2 September 2024, at the age of 84.

A playwright of remarkable wit, insight, and irreverence, Hibberd was a central figure in the Australian cultural renaissance of the 1970s, contributing a body of work that remains influential and enduring.

Jack Hibberd, 1940 – 2024

Born on 12 April 1940 in Warracknabeal, Victoria, John “Jack” Hibberd studied medicine at the University of Melbourne and practised as a GP until the mid-1980s. The dark humour and keen sense of the absurd evident in his work was often informed by his immersion in life and death matters.

He came to prominence in Melbourne circles with his play White with Wire Wheels (staged in 1967) but it was Dimboola (1969) that solidified his reputation as one of Australian theatre’s leading new voices. A farcical and satirical take on the traditional country wedding, Dimboola became an iconic piece of Australian theatre. Its raucous energy and unflinching portrayal of rural life resonated with audiences, making it a staple in both professional and amateur theatres across the...