There are a few iconic moments in Australian soap history which have become part of popular culture – such as Scott and Charlene getting married (aka Jason and Kylie in Neighbours, 1987) and beloved Molly’s death in A Country Practice, watched by some 2.2 million people – one of the biggest television events for 1984.
Sydney playwright Melanie Tait has turned Molly’s death into a comedy, imagining what it was like for the writers who were tasked with killing off Molly (played by Anne Tenney).
Mel became addicted to Seven’s ACP when just a little girl growing up in the Southern Highlands, where the weekly episodes were a staple of family life – as it was for so many Australians. “It was something that we did together, and I remember really enjoying it and being able to talk with mum about it,” Mel recalls. “I loved how much you’d learn every week.”
The self-professed ACP fanatic hosted a popular podcast on the show during the COVID-19 lockdown years, so when Ensemble director Mark Kilmurry rang with the idea of a play about ‘a big cultural moment on Australian TV,’ Mel knew Molly’s death was the perfect subject.
“(The creators) made nearly 100 episodes of TV a year. It was a real training ground (for writers), but they really cared very deeply about that show. Because they knew lots of people were watching it.
“So I started to think, ‘Well, maybe there’s a play in how they kill off Molly that can tell the story of what a magical, important show it was.’”
Mel consulted the show’s original creator, James Davern, 93 at the time (who has since passed away), who gave his blessing, as well as Anne. As for why the nation mourned so deeply when Molly died of leukaemia, Mel explains it was because ‘she’s that fun, sweet, kind friend that everybody wants.’
So how to kill of everyone’s idea of a best friend? And why did it play out over 14 episodes? “Anne wanted to leave and do different things, because she’d been playing the character for five years,” Mel explains. “James hoped that she might change her mind. So, they wanted to give her an illness that she could get better from, but that she could also die from.”
In the end, death won. Another Aussie soap stalwart, Georgie Parker – who also featured on ACP – plays the ‘head writer Judy,’ somewhat of a ‘coup’ for The Ensemble, Mel says. “To have that first-hand knowledge of what the show was like and how it worked is really incredible with Georgie,” Mel says. “Georgie’s a really dynamic, interesting, fun, smart person to be around, and I just love that she’s brought that to the play, because that’s what the character is.”
The play centres around the impact of the death on each of the creators, with Mel wanting to show ‘how seriously these people take their job.’
“It’s not just some sort of throwaway thing where they clock in and clock off and tap their words and go. It means something different to each of them. And the characters mean things to them.”
Mel assures that you don’t have to be a fan to see the play. “This is basically about a team of really expert, incredible people making something that’s really important to them. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry!”
And with the original episode writer, Judith Colquhoun, coming to opening night, it really will be a full circle moment.
29 August – 11 October
Ensemble Theatre, Kirribilli
ensemble.com.au