''The Department'' is a 1974 play by David Williamson about political intrigue at a university department. It was based on Williamson's time as a lecturer at Swinburne Tech.
Williamson wrote it for the South Australian Theatre Company. It premiered in 1974 at the opening of a new playhouse, then transferred to Melbourne and Sydney.
TV Adaptation
The play was adapted into a TV movie in 1980 which was produced by
Noel Ferrier
Noel Ferrier AM (20 December 193016 October 1997) was an Australian television personality, comedian, stage and film actor, raconteur and theatrical producer. He was a regular panelist in Graham Kennedy's popular game show '' Blankety Blanks ( ...
as part of the
Australian Theatre Festival
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 ch ...
.
Cast
*
Peter Sumner
Peter Malcolm Sumner-Potts (29 January 1942 – 22 November 2016), professionally known as Peter Sumner, was an Australian actor, director, and writer. He had a long career in theatre, television, and film.
Career
His credits include parts in su ...
as Robby
*
Richard Moir as Peter
*Grant Dodwell as John
*Barbara Stephens
*John Ewart
Reception
The ''Canberra Times'' called it "a poorly constructed exercise".
''The Age'' called it "a success... some remarkable goods." Another reviewer from that paper called it "an excellent production".
The ''Sydney Morning Herald'' critic said "it's a long time since I've seen a better sustained performance in a locally produced TV play."
Jack Hibberd
John Charles Hibberd (born 12 April 1940 in Warracknabeal, Victoria) is an Australian playwright and physician.
Biography
Hibberd studied medicine at the University of Melbourne and resided in Newman College. He worked as a registrar in ...
, who play ''
A Toast of Melba'' was also filmed as part of the Festival, called it 'dreary, mundane. Awesomely so. I'm not impressed by that 'slice of life' realism style. It's just theatrical journalism."
References
External links
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''The Department'' (1980 TV adaptation)at Screen Australia
Plays by David Williamson
1974 plays
Australian plays adapted into films
Films based on works by David Williamson
1980s English-language films
{{1970s-play-stub