''Wakefield'' is an eight-part Australian television drama series that premiered on ABC iview on 2 April 2021 and was shown on ABC TV in weekly episodes from Sunday 18 April. At the

2021 ARIA Music Awards The 2021 ARIA Music Awards are the 35th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards (generally known as ARIA Music Awards or simply The ARIAs) and consist of a series of awards, including the 2021 ARIA Artisan Awards, ARIA H ...

, the music was nominated for Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album. Hallmark of said soundtrack are the remarkedly different variations of Dexys Midnight Runners' Come On Eileen (used with brio to vehiculate the protagonist's own deteriorating mental health).

Synopsis

''Wakefield'' is a psychological mystery revolving around the staff and patients who populate Ward C of a psychiatric hospital in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, centred on psychiatric nurse Nik.

Cast

* Rudi Dharmalingam as Nikhil "Nik" Katira, a warm empathetic nurse at Wakefield Psychiatric Hospital, son of Indian immigrants Rashaal and Jeshna, and brother of Renuka ** Kershawn Theodore as 12-year-old Nik **Nirish Bhat Surambadka as young Nik *

Geraldine Hakewill Geraldine Hakewill (born 1987) is an Australian-raised actress, who as Geri is also a singer and songwriter. She acted as Chelsea Babbage in the Australian TV series '' Wanted'' for three seasons from 2016 to 2018 and Peregrine Fisher the titu ...

as Dr. Kareena Wells, the leading doctor of the ward, Nik's former fiancée, and wife of David *

Mandy McElhinney Mandy McElhinney (born ) is an Australian actress best known for playing Rhonda in AAMI insurance advertisements. She appeared on the sketch comedy television series, '' Comedy Inc.'', from 2003 to 2006. She appeared as Gina Rinehart in the te ...

as Linda, acting Nursing Unit Manager * Felicity Ward as Collette, a Wakefield nurse, friend of Nik, with a penchant for new age and self-development techniques * Sam Simmons as Pete Seaman, a Wakefield nurse *

Pacharo Mzembe Pacharo Mzembe is an Australian actor. He has performed on stage, in several television series and in feature films. Early life Mzembe's parents originate from Malawi, but he was born in Zimbabwe. He migrated to Australia at the age of six ...

as Dr Rohan Achebe, a gaming-addicted doctor at Wakefield * Dan Wyllie as James Matos, a businessman who continues to negotiate a property deal while a patient; husband of Leyla and father of Ted * Shapoor Batliwalla as Rashaal Katira, Nikhil and Renuka's father * Nadie Kammallaweera as Jeshna Katira, Nikhil and Renuka's mother and Rashaal's ex-wife * Monica Kumar as Renuka, Nikhil's soon-to-be-married sister * Harriet Dyer as Genevieve, patient with bipolar disorder, wife of Raff *

Ryan Corr Ryan Corr (born 15 January 1989) is an Australian actor. Corr is known for his roles in the Australian drama series ''Packed to the Rafters'' and '' Love Child'' along with film roles in ''Wolf Creek 2'' (2013), ''The Water Diviner'' (2014) and ' ...

as Raff, Genevieve's husband * Harry Greenwood as Trevor, a patient whose psychosis has been exacerbated by taking crystal meth; singer/songwriter * Bessie Holland as Tessa Knight, a milliner staying at Wakefield for her self-harm, anger issues, and compulsive hoarding; likes puzzles and art * Kim Gyngell as Zelco, a professional musician staying at Wakefield * Richie Miller as Omar, a Wakefield patient in a vegetative state, fiancé of Tamara *Henry Nixon as David, Kareena's husband * Colin Friels as Baz Madden, patient, a poet with anger issues * Megan Smart as Ivy, a young mother to her two-month-old daughter Saskia staying at Wakefield due to her post-natal depression * Sid Joshi * Ursula Yovich as Maria, a mediator who negotiates with Petrov, Linda, and Collette to settle damages * Shagun Garg * Guy Simon as Colin/Mr Invisible, a patient who believes himself to be invisible * Miritana Hughes as Seffa, a patient who believes he is a prophet of god * Victoria Haralabidou as Cath, a patient who systematically organises the actions of every patient and employee at Wakefield * Wayne Blair as Vince, a cockroach exterminator * Heather Mitchell as Belle, Tessa's mother * Jonathan Chan as Sun * David Nash roy The Security Guard * Matt Nable as Michael Fitzpatrick, a patient who believes himself to be disappeared Prime Minister

Harold Holt Harold Edward Holt (5 August 190817 December 1967) was an Australian politician who served as the 17th prime minister of Australia from 1966 until his presumed death in 1967. He held office as leader of the Liberal Party. Holt was born in S ...

* Nicholas Brown as Kiran, husband-to-be of Renuka * Skanda Jammalamadaka as Dilshan, Nikhil and Renuka's baby brother *

Caroline Brazier Caroline Brazier is an Australian actress who is best known for the role of Chrissy Merchant in '' Packed to the Rafters'' and the starring roles of Veronica Johnson and her twin sister Betti in the children's television series ''Parallax''. Br ...

as Leyla Matos, wife of James * Anthony Brandon Wong as James' business partner * Veena Sudarshan as Geetha, Jeshna's friend * Stephen Hunter as Stephan, Linda's date * Alex Menglet as Petrov, a man whose car is deliberately damaged by Linda in a car park * Michael-Anthony Taylor, as the father of Omar

Episodes

Production

The eight-part series was filmed in 2020, at a number of locations in

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

; the Blue Mountains; a New South Wales (NSW) northern rivers cane farm near Murwillumbah with Mt. Warning as a backdrop; and Southern Highlands of NSW. ''Wakefield'' is created by Kristen Dunphy, who is also the showrunner with Sam Meikle. The series is written by Kristen Dunphy, Sam Meikle, Joan Sauers and Cathy Strickland. It is directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse and Kim Mordaunt.

International broadcast

Showtime Showtime or Show Time may refer to: Film * ''Showtime'' (film), a 2002 American action/comedy film * ''Showtime'' (video), a 1995 live concert video by Blur Television Networks and channels * Showtime Networks, a division of Paramount Global ...

acquired the U.S. broadcast rights for the series, which premiered on 18 October 2021.

References

External links

*
Wakefield
at ABC IVIEW {{ABC Television programming 2020s Australian drama television series 2021 Australian television series debuts 2021 Australian television series endings Television shows set in New South Wales Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming English-language television shows Television about mental health Television series set in hospitals