ABC Radio Plays

 1955

1956-57

In sound year was the commissioning of the well-known local authors, Ruth Park and D’Arcy Niland, for a half-hour serial, One Man’s Kingdom.” This was designed to tell in lively dramatic form the story of the nation’s development in the latter half of the nineteenth century. It was felt that the events of history, brought to life through the trials and tribulations of an imaginary family, could be depicted with greater clarity and colour in the form of a dramatic serial than is possible in the pages of a book of reference. Such proved to be the case and many enquiries about a possible re-broadcast of the serial were received,

Among other Australian plays broadcast for the first time were ‘The Damask Rose” (Coral Lansbury), “They Sailed on Friday” (William Jcnner), “Exit” (Dymphna Cusack), “Golden Slumber” (Catherine Shepherd), “The
Square Ring” (Ralph Peterson), “Meadowsweet” (Vance Palmer), and “Corner- stone” (Gwen Meredith),

Exit and The Sun in Exile by Dymphna Cusack
They Sailed on Friday by William Jenner
The Damask Rose by Coral Lansbury
The Exploders by John Sanford
The Golden Lover by Douglas Stewart
The Day before Tomorrow by Ric Throssell
Star at the Irwin by Alexander Turner

Serials
Blue Hills, Oe Man’s Kingdom, Shining Harvest by EV Timms
 

1957

1958

1959

 1967-68

We produced 245 plays each of an hour or more’s duration, including 25 plays and adaptations by Australian authors. n September, we organised an All States Drama Week when a different play was presented from each capital city each night. In many ways the festival sym•bolised the achievement and resilience of radio drama . The plays were performed by casts from all States and included the first performance of “The Strains of Music” by Australian writer Tom Hegarty

The Maid's Part by Jessica Anderson

The Perilous Hours by Joy Hollyer

Pearl by the Lake, A Country for Proud People and A Game of Numbers by Robert Amos

The Strains of Music by Tom Hegarty

The One Day of the Year by Alan Seymour

A Ride on the Big Dipper by Ron Harrison

The Opal Witch by Joy Hollyer from novel by Jean Brooks

A Time to Speak by Noel Robinson

The Currency Lass by Anthoyn Scott Veitch

Totem Pole by John Kiddell

Spiegel the Cat by David Martin

Daidsy Miller by Jessica Anderson

Concord of Sweet Sounds by Patricia Hooker

Serias: The Queting Heart by Barbara Vernon, Blue Hills

1968-69

The Lotus Eaters by Patricia Hooker

The Tyrant Yeara by Joy Hollyer

Summer of the Seventeenth Doll by Ray Lawler

Fire on the Snow by Douglas Stewart

The Unwilling Suitor by Barbara Vernon

Who's Perfect by CHris Gardner

The Minotaur has a Thousand Heads by Coral Lasnury

A Tyranny of Tears by C Haddon Cambers

An Invitation to Diner by Noel Robinson

Burke's COmpany by Bill Reeed

The Cabbage Tree Hat Boys by Peter Yeldham

Man in a Blue Vase by Ricard Neynon

The Young Wife by David Martin

The Square Ring by Ralph Peterson

Survival in the Service by Robrt Amsos

Serials: A House if Built by Joy Hollyer, The Miners Right by Richard Lane from Rolf Bodlerwoodnovel, Blue Hills by Gwen Meredith

 

 The A.B .C. broadcast more than 250 plays of an hour or more in duration during the year. These included several plays which are being studied for school examinations.

1969-70
During the year, B.B.C. radio purchased the A. B.C. production of Ray Lawler’s “ Summer of the Seventeenth Doll”, “The Square Ring” by Ralph Petersen, “Totem Pole” by John Kiddell, and “Crowd of Three” by Tom Hegarty. “Summer of the Seventeenth Doll” is to be used in the B.B.C.’s World Theatre Series.

As mentioned in the introductory section of this report, one of these plays, Ray Lawler’s “ Summer of the Seventeenth Doll “, was purchased by the B.B.C., together with productions of “The Square Ring” by Ralph Peterson, “Totem Pole” by John Kiddell and Tom Hegarty’s comedy “ Crowd of Three”. The South African Broadcasting Corporation purchased productions of “ An Invitation to Dinner” by Noel Robinson and “ Persephone” by Bee Robinson... .

A Season for Australian Writers” began in June and will continue on Sunday nights for three months. The majority of scripts are being broadcast for the first time and include the radio version of “Eden House” by Hal Porter, “ A Fit and Proper Person “ by Patricia Hooker, “ Barbara” by Mona Brand, “Silver Bells and Cockle Shells” by BarbaraVernon and “ Th e Cata lyst” by Joy Hellyer. In all 21 Australian writers were represented
in the overall output of radio drama.