According to contemporary newspapers, The Multi-coloured Umbrella follows on from The Passionate Pianist:
A.B.C. TV-viewers met the family, bookmaker Kevin Donnelly and his sons Ben and Joe, several weeks ago in 'The Passionate Pianist'–Miss Vernon's latest play.
In the 'Umbrella', Joe has married, his marriage is on the rocks but he won't admit there's anything wrong.
Brother Ben, however, sees the problem as a realist.
The outcome?
Miss Vernon has written two endings–one for Inverell, where she first produced the play with the 2NZ dramatic society, which she founded, and one for Melbourne and Sydney audiences.
Source:
'A Bookie's Ad. Led to a Play', Sydney Morning Herald, 6 November 1957, p.9.
George F. Kerr, who adapted the work for television, wrote a long letter on the subject viewer backlash after the program aired on the ABC.
See 'Brandishing the Umbrella', Sydney Morning Herald, 3 February 1958, p.2.
