As Ye Sow
| Company type | Radio serial |
|---|---|
| Industry | Broadcasting, Entertainment |
| Founded | 1937 |
| Founder | Edmund Barclay |
Area served | Australia |
| Products | Radio drama serial |
| Parent | Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
As Ye Sow is a 1937 Australian radio serial created by Edmund Barclay, depicting the saga of six generations of Australians starting from the early colonial period. It received widespread recognition as a landmark achievement in Australian historical drama.
Premise
The story traces the lineage of an Australian family spanning from 1788 to 1938, beginning with the convict Prudence Dent and Rum Corps officer Gilbert Teal.
Background
Before this serial, Barclay had crafted a standalone Australian family drama for radio titled Love o' Land, but As Ye Sow marked his debut in serial storytelling. He dedicated six months to developing the characters prior to scripting. Barclay mentioned that he encountered numerous objections regarding the destinies of characters Bluey and Mary, yet he maintained that the narrative had to proceed as originally planned.
The ABC undertook extensive promotion for the series, which broadcast throughout September 1937. Following its conclusion, Barclay introduced his medieval Europe-themed serial, Into the Light.
Reception
Initially, The Bulletin commented that the production "is not, as done, as good a thing as it might be." Nevertheless, the publication later commended its "excellent radio technique," particularly praising its effective use of sound to evoke character and setting.
Leslie Rees regarded it as "a pioneer in historical-personal writing for Australian radio," acknowledging imperfections but emphasizing its grand scale and memorable characters. He highlighted the series' capacity to captivate audiences nationwide by realistically portraying characters infused with humor and dynamic action. Clement Semmler described it as "an early ABC triumph," despite being authored by someone often considered a prolific but routine writer.
The serial achieved considerable popularity, leading to subsequent productions in 1941, 1947, and 1951. During the late 1940s, there were talks about adapting the drama into a Hollywood motion picture.
Select episodes
- Ep 1 (4 Jan 1937). Seed Time
- Ep 2 (11 Jan 1937). Wavering
- Ep 3 (18 Jan). Crossing the Rubicon
- Ep 4 (25 Jan). Tillage
- Ep 5 (1 Feb). The First Australians
- Ep 6 (8 Feb). The Golden Fleece
- Ep 7 (15 Feb). Governor Bligh
- Ep 8 (22 Feb). Over the Mountain
- Ep 9 (1 March). Broadacres
- Ep 10 (8 March). Gilbert the Second
- Ep 11 (15 March). Reap in Joy
- Ep 12 (22 March). Harvest Home
- Ep 13 (29 March). Evensong
- Ep 14 (5 April). The New Era
- Ep 15 (12 April). The Gold Rush
- Ep 16 (19 April). The Eureka Stockade
- Ep 17 (26 April). Ploughshares into Scales
- Ep 18 (3 May). Sydney Siders
- Ep 19 (10 May). Coming of Age
- Ep 20 (17 May). Town and Country
- Ep 21 (24 May). Reaping Enquiry
- Ep 22 (31 May). Many Waters
- Ep 23 (7 June). The Rift
- Ep 24 (14 June). Black Wednesday
- Ep 25 (21 June). The Last of the Old
- Ep 26 (28 June). The Barren Harvest
- Ep 27 (5 July). Federation
- Ep 28 (12 July). Nearing Today
- Ep 29 (19 July). Prelude to War
- Ep 30 (26 July). Anzac
- Ep 31 (2 August). Turn of the Tide
- Ep 32 (9 August). The Last of the Teals
- Ep 33 (16 August). The Bubble Bursts
- Ep 34 (23 August). Prudence and Gilbert
- Ep 35 (30 Aug). Big John Intervenes
- Ep 36 (6 Sept). The New Crop (final episode)
- Radio programs produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation
- Radio shows that premiered in 1937
- Australian radio serials from the 1930s
- Australian radio serials from the 1940s
- Radio dramas authored by Edmund Barclay
- Portrayals of the Eureka Rebellion in culture
- Australian radio dramas centered on World War I
- Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio programs