Australian TV Plays: AP#1.1 - The Pigeon (18 April 1966)

The first episode of Australian Playhouse.

Premise

Billy Sloane is a school student doing exams. his mother is dying in hospital and his father Barney has taken in a lady 'friend', Doris, to look after him. The only bright light in Billy's life is a sick pigeon he has found and is caring for.

Billy arrives at school late in casual clothes. The headmaster is upset at this because Billy is frequently late. Billy's teacher, Fallon, defends the boy, hoping that exams will get Billy out of his home situation.

Detective Sg Ferguson visits the headmaster, asking questions about Jack Sloane, Billy's older brother. Jack was named as the participant in a recent robbery. The headmaster arranges for Billy to be pulled out of his exam, where he has been writing about the pigeon. Fallon reads the paper and is moved.

Ferguson interviews Billy about Jack's whereabouts, then Billy completes the exam. Billy comes home to be greeted by his anxious father and confronts him over his father's relationship with Doris.

Billy goes to visit his mother in hospital. She tells him she is never coming home and knows about Doris, though is clearly upset by that. Billy goes home and lets the pigeon free. It is implied Billy leaves home as well.

Cast

Ross Thompson as Billy Sloane
Moya O'Sullivan as Doris
Don Philips as Barney Sloane
Vaughan Tracey as the headmaster
John Gregg as Fallon
Kenneth Haigh as Detective Sgt Ferguson
Lynne Murphy as Billy's mother

Production

It was written by Peter Finnane, an English master at a Sydney High School.

David Goddard, who produced the series, called The Pigeon, "a very sensitive, very moving lovely piece."

Technical producer - Philip Pearson. Designer - Douglas Smith. Producer - Eric Tayler

Reception

The Sydney Morning Herald encouraged audiences to take a hard line when watching Australian Playhouse and said The Pigeon "was certainly worth 30 minutes of your time."

The Canberra Times called it "excellent".

Another critic called it "a tight half hour"

The Age said Finnane "might have made it something other than a shameless weepie if he had been more sparing with its ingredients."A later review in the same paper praised Thompson's acting but felt "some dialogue didn't ring true."

Another writer in the same paper called it "promising".

The Bulletin said it had "a mixture of new talent, experienced players, and several very shaky ones."

The Sunday Sydney Morning Herald said "although it tried to pack a bit overmuch into 30 minutes it was a sensitively written study."

The Widow Thrum

Finnane reportedly wrote another play for the series, The Widow Thrum.

According to the ABC report it was made in 1965/66 but it does not appear to have been shown.