David Branson

Who was David Branson?

David Branson was an Australian theatre director, actor, and writer.

David Branson's father John was an Antarctic scientist, and his mother Margaret a school librarian. Branson attended Hackett Primary School, Watson High, and Dickson College in Canberra. He was regular churchgoer and a member of many youth groups.

Branson was a dynamic thespian and theatre-worker. He worked with community groups, youth theatres, Repertory Theatre, and groups of his own devising to create innumerable productions. He played the violin in the Canberra Youth Orchestra and in many local bands such as The Black Dogs, The Plunderers, and The Gadflys. He was a member of among others: the Doug Anthony Allstars, Found Objects, and the Performing Arts Cafe.

In 1985 Branson, Ross Cameron, John Utans, and Patrick Troy founded Splinters Theatre of Spectacle which had its origins in mediaevalist antics in Canberra's inner north.

Splinters staged several large productions, sometimes involving hundreds of people, fire sculptures, giant puppets, & large moving metal sculptures. Early Splinters performances were at a now-demolished weatherboard cottage in Downer, and the Causeway Hall at Kingston, as well as backyards in the inner north. Splinters made good use of crowd manipulation. During his time with Splinters he was involved in more than 20 productions including Cry Stinking Fish as part of the Melbourne Spoleto Festival, Gumboot Full of Blood, Cathedral of Flesh