31 Backyards (16 May 1963) ITV

 Made in UK but written, directed by and starring Australians. It was the writer-director team of Alan Seymour and Ray Menmuir.

It aired on Australian TV.

Premise

The story of a smart English girl, Delphine, who falls in love with an Australian, Larry, after meeting at a Knightsbridge party

Cast

* Ray Barrett as Larry Ransome
* Hilary Crane as Helena
* Susan Hampshire as Delphine
* Joan Lindsay as Miss Enmore
* Derek Martinus     as Christopher
* Peggy Paige as Mrs. Petwell
* Balu Patel     as Mr Lawrence
* Jack Smethurst     as Bill

Production

Alan Seymour wrote it after leaving Australia. 

Reception

The Stage said it was "a thoughtful production" with "a very good performance by Susan Hampshire... Beginning by taking a rise out of Australian men, it got down to the serious business of examining the relationship of a young couple living together in London for economic reasons and be cause they liked each other. Author Alan Seymour did not give us violent quarrels and parties in bed sitters but concerned himself with un folding in a quite humorous way how two young people mature through living tgether. The secondary characters were not really necessary and only served to make the play longer when it would have been remembered as a delicate little cameo had it been shorter. Good sets from Michael Wield and restrained direction from Raymond Men-muir.  "

In 1964 it was announced it was one of four British TV plays by Australian writers sold to Australia.

It aired in Australia January 1965. The Canberra Times called it "competent and entertaining."

The Stage 16 May 1963 p 12

Liverpool Echo 17 May 1963 p 2

Daily Mirror 17 May 1963 p 18

Birminham Post 17 May 1963 p 31


The Stage 23 May 1963 p 10

Canberra Times 9 Jan 1965  p 12

Canberra Times 20 Jan 1965 p 10

SMH 4 Jan 1965 p 11

The Age 30 Jan 1965 p 11

The Age 28 Jan 1965 p 28

The Age Supplement 24 Oct 1963 p 2

Daily Mirror 16 May 1963

NAA Publicity

NAA P


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Janus of the Age aka Gordon Bett