Ziggi Blasko is a talk-back host whose power rests in his influence. He fills Sydney's airwaves with his appeals to common-sense, his hard line with terrorists and his lashings at political correctness. But in the private sphere ziggi's influence is fading away. While Ziggi preaches to the metropolis that there is no such thing as the working poor, his own housekeeper struggles to provide for her family.

A scathing ant bitingly funny play about the media personalities that dominate our lives and the divisions that can shatter families, it tackles the power of radio's so-called shock jocks. Like the David Williamson plays before it, 'Influence' tackles a prickly aspect of Australian society. This time Williamson has the power of radio talkback announcers in his sights.

"Right-wing journalists and radio announcers are so self-righteous that they're ripe for satire" he said. "I think they actually do social harm because their technique is to amplify anxieties into fears, turn fears into panics and engender a general wave of fear and conservatism." Williamson insists that his bombastic character Ziggi Blasko is not modeled solely on any particular radio host.  

The play is set in the house of Ziggi Blasko and in the radio studio in which he works. The action of the play is over several weeks.

The play is in two acts with an intermission between Act 1 and Act 2.  

Director: Fran Kendall
Stage Manager: Bob Farmer
Assistant Stage Manager: Margaret McGowan
Lighting: Leigh Collins (courtesy of Laycock St Theatre)
Sound: Brendon Flynn, Christopher Barnes
Set Design: Margaret McGowan, Mary Middleton
Operations Manager: Barrie McKeowen
Set Construction: Barrie McKeowen & WWLT members
Backstage Assistant: Josh Cocks
Program: Peter Santangelo & Graham Vale
Poster & Cover Design: Brendon Flynn
Publicity: Margaret McGowan, Graham Vale & Jan Taylor
Photography: Peter Santangelo
Box Office: Linda Williams & Barbara Hickey
FOH / Canteen: Gerri Briegar & WWLT members.  

Woy Woy Little Theatre would like to thank the following for their help and support:

Central Coast Express Advocate, Peninsular News, Gosford City Council, Rose Cooper - E-Newsletter, Multi Arts Confederation, Laycock Street Theatre, Wallsend Army Disposals, The Entrance Printing.