Limelight grills the playwright about his first play, which is about to have its world premiere at Sydney Theatre Company.

Is Australian Graffiti your first professional play?

I’d say so, which makes me feel somewhat nervous. At the least it’s the first full-length play I’ve been paid for. Other than this, I’ve worked on some fun experimental plays for theatre festivals.

When did you begin writing?

I only began to seriously write at the University of Wollongong. That was the same time I started writing for theatre – the plan had been to work in prose. But one day a friend, Joel Burrows, formed a theatre company and asked me to contribute a fifteen-minute play. I was hooked from the first round of applause.

Australian Grafitti, Sydney Theatre CompanyDisapol Savetsila. Photo © James Green

How old are you now?

I am 23 now. I’m starting to get white hairs and it’s terrifying.

How did you feel when you discovered that Sydney Theatre Company had programmed Australian Graffiti in their mainstage season?

I’d been preparing myself to hear that they weren’t going ahead with it. I had a speech prepared about how I was so honoured and pleased...