Former The West Australian arts editor Ron Banks’ book Bums On Seats: An Unofficial History Of Theatre In WA

While Ron Banks has never experienced any hankerings to be an actor, director or playwright, he has always enjoyed writing about the arts.

It is a passion that took Mosman Park-raised Banks from his working-class family, who rarely entered a theatre, to a renowned career as The West Australian arts editor from 1990 to 2006.

In what he alludes to as being his potential “swan song for the arts”, 78-year-old Banks has written his fourth self-published book Bums On Seats: An Unofficial History Of Theatre In WA, featuring theatre company origin stories, personal anecdotes from actors and directors, and Banks’ own wealth of knowledge collected during his years as an arts journalist.

He says the book traces the history of theatre in WA from its amateur beginnings in the early 20th century to i