Let the Blood Run Free
| Industry | Television |
|---|---|
| Founded | August 1990 |
| Founder | Tory McBride, The Blood Group |
| Headquarters | Melbourne , Australia |
| Products | Television series |
Let the Blood Run Free was a chaotic Australian parody soap opera set within St Christopher's Hospital, created by the comedic ensemble known as The Blood Group. It was broadcast from August 1990 through January 1994.
Conception
The program originated as a weekly live show held at the upstairs space called Le Joke, part of Melbourne's comedy venue The Last Laugh. The concept and title were developed by Tory McBride, who was then the associate producer of comedy at The Last Laugh, working alongside comedy director John Thomson to establish The Blood Group. The format combined loosely scripted scenes with improvisation, featuring two plotlines that were chosen by audience votes during the performance.
Initially performed continuously for approximately one year in the intimate 100-seat Le Joke theatre, its growing popularity prompted a move to the larger main stage of The Last Laugh, where it ran for multiple seasons. Additionally, a radio version helped broaden its audience.
Television
Let The Blood Run Free made the transition to television with a production of 26 episodes that incorporated storylines from the live performances. It was broadcast in Australia from 20 August 1990 until 15 January 1994, and later aired on the UK’s Channel 4 between 29 August 1992 and 7 January 1995. The original cast returned for the series, including an early role for Kath & Kim actor Peter Rowsthorn as hospital orderly Warren Cronkshonk.
The series is recognized as one of the pioneering interactive TV shows, allowing viewers to influence plot developments by voting via telephone at each episode’s conclusion. It also innovated by breaking the fourth wall, directly addressing the audience to increase viewer involvement.
The narratives were intentionally exaggerated: newlyweds Pam and Ray discover they are siblings; Pam reveals her pregnancy; Effie is hit by a vehicle and brought back to life; Matron Dorothy conspires with an axe-wielding lover to undermine Pam and Ray; and vampire Carla Laboumdier menaces hospital staff before being impaled by Ray.
Both Series 1 and Series 2 have been released on DVD in Australia, each available as a two-disc collection.
Characters' names
In keeping with its satirical tone, character names featured puns or exaggerated elements:
- Nurse Pam Sandwich – whose name changes to Pam Good-Sandwich and later Pam Good-Lovechild-Sandwich through successive marriages, played by Jean Kittson.
- Dr. Ray Good – portrayed by Brian Nankervis.
- Dr. Richard Lovechild – performed by David Swann.
- Matron Dorothy Conniving-Bitch – enacted by Lynda Gibson.
- Warren Cronkshonk – played by Peter Rowsthorn, who also took on the role of axe murderer Bill Schwarzenhameneggenberger.
- Inspector George Slabb (pronounced Slab-ub) – portrayed by Mark Cutler, who originally played Richard in the stage version before being replaced for television.
- Nurse Effie Shunt – acted by Helen Knight, who additionally portrayed Dr Angie Travers and Matron’s daughter Moon Unit.