Dinner with the Family
| Company type | Television play |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television |
| Founded | 1959 |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Parent | Australian Broadcasting Corporation |
Dinner with the Family is a 1959 television play from Australia, distinguished as a rare example of Australian TV drama during an era when such productions were infrequent. The program featured English actress Jessie Matthews in her debut Australian television appearance while she was touring the country. The production was undertaken by ABC in Melbourne.
Plot
Georges, trapped in a loveless marriage motivated by financial reasons, becomes enamored with Isabelle. To escape his unsatisfactory life, he arranges for actors to pose as his parents and butler during a dinner with Isabelle. Unexpectedly, his actual parents arrive, intent on preserving his marriage, accompanied by Georges' unreliable companion Jacques and Jacques' spouse Barbara.
Cast
- Tony Brown portraying Georges
- Joy Mitchell as Isabelle
- Alan Tobin in the role of Jacques
- Jessie Matthews as Madam de Montrachet
- Paul Bacon playing Delmonte
- June Brunell(e) as Barbara
- Marcia Hart
- Laurie Lange
Production
Prior to this televised version, the play was recently staged at Melbourne's Little Theatre with Sheila Florence in the lead role. In July 1959, ABC declared its intention to film the play featuring Jessie Matthews stepping into Florence’s part. Leading actress June Brunell had just returned from England where she had acted in the television series The Flying Doctors.
Reception
According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the production was "a courageous but ultimately unsuccessful effort to meld classic theatre with television... Christopher Muir's direction was meticulous, well-executed, and often inventive."
The TV critic from The Age commented that although it "was not a play likely to excite great enthusiasm," Matthews delivered a commanding performance despite her limited screen time.