Deals with the interactions of a 'xenophobic tramp and an English wife (June Thody) on a lonely sheep station, faced with temptation in the form of a handsome young Australian-born Italian labourer. Apart from the inclusion of an irrelevant character, the play opens tautly with not a moment wasted in creating the setting for a night of adultery. The arrival of the swagman (portrayed brilliantly by Edward Hepple) introduces a Pinteresque situation in which he slowly insinuates himself further and further, disrupting the couple's hoped-for night of solitary domesticity.'
Source: 'U.K. Playwright, Long Range View' (see Works About).
Note on authorship:
After the episode aired, there was some discussion in newspapers regarding how a British script-writer came to submit a script set in Australia for an Australian-made anthology series.
According to John Howard's article in The Canberra Times (see Works About): Enquiries around the ABC Drama Department revealed that everybody there is just as curious.The producer of the play, Henri Safran, chose it from a bundle of indifferent quality that found its way to his desk. Phillip Mann tells me that he met Black some time ago in London, where he is a professional writer. As far as he knows Black has never been to Australia.
