The Australian Theatre Festival was a series of adaptations of Australian plays filmed by the ABC in 1979-80. Six plays were filmed in all at an estimated budget of $5,000 an episode. They aired on Sunday night opposite movies on the commercial channels.[1] They were partly inspired by a government ruling that the ABC could keep any money it made selling projects overseas.[2]
The series was not a ratings success.[3]
Episodes edit
First Series:
- Carolie Lansdowne Says No by Alex Buzo
- A Toast to Melba by Jack Hibberd
- Big Toys by Patrick White
- Departmental by Mervyn Rutherford
- The Department by David Williamson
- Bedfellows by Barry Oakley[4]
Second Series:
References edit
- ^ "Culled Out!". The Australian Women's Weekly. National Library of Australia. 20 August 1980. p. 165 Supplement: Your TV Magazine. Retrieved 14 July 2013.
- ^ "THE LINE-UP FOR 1980". The Australian Women's Weekly. National Library of Australia. 6 February 1980. p. 46. Retrieved 15 July 2013.
- ^ Australian Theatre Festival at AustLit
- ^ "TELEVISION An affectionate play". The Canberra Times. Vol. 54, no. 16, 394. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 14 August 1980. p. 14. Retrieved 12 May 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "PRODUCTION notes". The Australian Women's Weekly. National Library of Australia. 6 August 1980. p. 146 Supplement: FREE Your TV Magazine. Retrieved 7 August 2013.