Meet the Manson Family

New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 783, 23 July 1954, Page 9

Meet the Manson Family

VER been to Enston? It’s not marked on any map, and yet listeners to ZB Women’s Hour programmes will probably find something hauntingly familiar about this town when it is described for them in the NZBS serial Meet the Mansons. Enston is a small New Zealand township, nowhere in particular, just an ordinary town peopled by ordinary families living ordinary lives. It is a farming community, and the beach is close enough to suit most residents without attracting tourists; a new town hall is wanted, and a larger school; there are four banks and the cinema is open six nights_a week; but there are also five churches, and a fine community spirit.

Just below the cinema, between Cleggs the greengrocer and Melford’s radio shop is Manson’s grocery-not the biggest shop in town, but one of the most popular, for George Manson is a friendly soul. He has two children, Carrie, aged 19, and Kevin, who is 16, a rowdy, likeable pair of youngsters with progressive ideas. The Mansons are just New Zealand. ers. No claims to fame, just a typical small family, hard-working, and living from day to day. Nothing very exciting happens to them. George is tied up with his shop, Carrie helping dutifully. but with vague dreams of a brighter, more expansive future. Kevin, too, helps his father, though if the truth be known he is more interested in the motorcycle he has just acquired than in prompt delivery of the customers’ orders. The other people listeners will meet" are mainly their neighbours and relations, ranging from the Mayor, the local cinema manager, the editor of the local paper, and Grandma Manson to Madam Mindeek, who runs a ballet school. But then there is Wallace Manson, a relative from England. Things are pretty peaceful until he arrives, and afterwards. . . well, the first episode of Meet the Mansons will be broadcast from 1ZB on Tuesday, July 27, from 2ZB on August 4, from 3ZB on August 17, and from 4ZB on September 1, in each case in Women’s Hour. Thereafter episodes will be heard every Tuesday and Friday. Meet the Mansons is being produced in the Auckland studios of the NZBS,

by Earle Rowell, from an original script by Arthur E. Jones, and it is the first venture .of its kind the studio has tackled. There will be 52 episodes each of 15 minutes. "Essentially this is the story of your neighbour or of the fellow down the street," Mr. Jones told The Listener. "There are no great emotional tangles, but we have introduced mystery and comedy, and a= spice of romance. I have aimed to make the whole story true to its New Zealand setting, and to achieve naturalness in

the dialogue and conviction in the incidents." Mr. Jones added that as an Englishman himself he had _ created Wallace Manson -to provide a little friendly give and take, and to allow comment on some of the differences between this country and "Home." "When first we considered recording a wholly. New Zealand serial I was inclined .to believe a story with a contempoiary small- town setting would be doomed to failure," said Mr: Rowell. "It could have been too dull, too mundane to hold listener interest. But there is nothing dull about this story. We are delighted with the way the Manson family seems to be coming to life. The characters are by no means all ‘straight,’ but we have tried to create a credible nucleus of people who could fit comfortably into any New Zealand town. As the show progresses-and when the first episodes are heard there will still be a great deal of work ahead of author, producer and cest-we hope. to introduce many familiar aspects of everyday life, in some cases involving interesting production problems. For one episode. for example, we hope to create the authentic atmosphere of a district A. and P. Show." Author and producer are collaborating in the creation of new characters, Mr. Rowell added. "When someone new is introduced we can. discuss in detail his possible background and the way in which he will eventually fit into the community of Enston. This; obviously, helps solve casting problems and makes possible more life-like characterisation. We have tried to avoid overdrawi: the characters, and to maintain rea oeople "As the story develops the cast and 1 are becoming thoroughly engrossed. in the people and events of Enston: We look forward to recording each new episode, and we hope that listeners will share our interest." The cast so far (others will ptobahily be needed later) includes Athol Coats as George Manson, Barbera Adams (Carrie), Mervyn Smith (Kevin). May Lovett (Grandma Manson), Earle Rowell (Wallace Manson), Eddie Hegan (Ed Hooley, manager of the cinema), and Barry Lineham (editor of the local paper) Mk