The Little Woman
| The Little Woman | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Patricia Hooker |
| Directed by | Bill Bain |
| Country of origin | Australia |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60 mins[1] |
| Production company | ABC |
| Original release | |
| Network | ABC |
| Release | 18 October 1961 (Sydney)[2] 3 January 1962 (Melbourne)[3][4] |
The Little Woman is a 1961 Australian comedy TV play written by Patricia Hooker and broadcast on the ABC.[5]
It starred Sophie Stewart who had also been in the ABC's live play Fly by Night.
Plot
In a plush suburb on Sydney's North Shore, Marjorie, a young bride arrives home to find a series of surprises in store for her: her husband Henry, a Sydney businessman, keeps his wives instead of divorcing him, and they live together in a state of bliss; the new bride is his sixth. The household is run by Vera, his first wife. The others are a beatnik, a secretary, a glamour girl and a cook.[3]
Cast
- Sophie Stewart as Vera[6]
- Wendy Blacklock as Majorie
- Moya O'Sullivan as Kay
- Brigid Lenihan as a beatnik Estella
- Janice Copeland as Vernoica
- Valerie Hughes as Estella
- Brian Anderson
- Edward Hepple
- Kerry Francis
Background
Hooker was working as a shorthand typist in a city office in 1959 when she wrote the story at home in the evenings. She wrote it as a stage play and it was included in a night of one-act plays at the Genesian Theatre. To help it reach a wider audience, Patricia studied a book on TV technique and decided to revise the script as a TV play. The play takes place in real time.[7][8]
It was shot in Sydney.[3]
Reception
The Sunday Sydney Morning Herald said it was "bright, breezy and well paced from start to finish. And while the theme (Henry keeps six wives)may raise a few "tut tuts" in some quarters it was handled with such racy good humour and wit that only the most straightlaced could quibble".[9]
The Sydney Morning Herald called it "a merry little farce" in which "the plot skidded and skated a bit" but praised the "splendid" performances of Wendy Blacklock and Sophie Stewart.[10]
See also
- List of television plays broadcast on Australian Broadcasting Corporation (1960s)
External links
References
- ^ "Television". Sydney Morning Herald. 18 October 1961. p. 21.
- ^ "TV Guide". Sydney Morning Herald. 16 October 1961. p. 19.
- ^ a b c "TV Guide". The Age. 28 December 1961. p. 23.
- ^ "TV Guide". The Age. 3 January 1962. p. 17.
- ^ "LIVE DRAMA AND MUSIC ON ABC TELEVISION". The Canberra Times. 11 December 1962. p. 27. Retrieved 5 June 2015 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Interview with Stage Star". Sydney Morning Herald. 5 November 1962. p. 19.
- ^ "STENOGRAPHER'S PLAY ACCEPTED". Sydney Morning Herald. 18 September 1961. p. 12.
- ^ "Classifieds". Sydney Morning Herald. 2 February 1963. p. 24.
- ^ "TV Merry Go Round". Sydney Morning Herald. 22 October 1961. p. 93.
- ^ "Play By Sydney Writer On TV". Sydney Morning Herald. 19 October 1961. p. 8.
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