Australian TV Plays: All Out for Kangaroo Valley (5 Nov 1969)

Made by Aussies in England - writer Noel Robinson, director Bill Bain.

Premise

A coachload of Australian tourists arrive at an hotel in Earls Court. Among them: an engaged couple, Jan and Robert. She's dewy-eyed about the " old country." He's more interested in drinking with the boys than seeing the sights. Meeting them at the hotel is Robert's cousin, Colin a failure in Robert's eyes, but in Jan's a way to all the things which most interest her in England. Graduall y, rivalry grows between the two men

Cast

* Sandra Gleeson as Jan
* Mark Edwards as Robert
* Kerry Francis as Nev
* Vivienne Lincoln as Carol
* David Gilchrist as Jim
* Warwick Sims as Colin
* Betty McDowall as Liz
* Peter Arne as Peter Steiner
* Joanne Dainton as Emma Steiner
* Brian Harrison as Joe
* Beatrice Aston as Girl in pub
* Peter Collier as Man in pub
* David Gilchrist as Jim
* Jasmine Greenfield as Girl in pub
* Helen Harper as Girl in pub
* John Knightley as Man at party
* Francis Phillips as Man in pub
* Donald Pickering as Man at party
* Bill Riley as Man in pub
* Eileen Way as Woman in pub
* Jennifer Young as Courier

Production

This is the second Wednesday Play to take a look at England through the eyes of outsiders - the first was "The Exiles" by West Indian Errol John. "All Out for Kangaroo Valley" was written and directed by Australians and has an all-Australian cast.

Produced by Irene Shubik. Music by Dudley Simpson. Production Design by John Cooper .

It was an early role for Mark Edwards who was briefly kind of going to be a star. He had just moved to London.

The cast also apparently included Aussie Cassandra Harris who would marry Pierce Brosnan and die young of breast cancer.

Reception

Reviews in London were not great, something eagerly reported on by Australian media. Even in 1969. Was this why it wasn't shown in Australia?