ENSEMBLE THEATRE PRESENTS THE WORLD PREMIERE OF ‘HOW TO PLOT A HIT IN TWO DAYS’, MELANIE TAIT’S BOLD NEW TAKE ON A DEFINING CULTURAL MOMENT IN AUSTRALIA’S TV HISTORY
Ensemble Theatre is thrilled to present the world premiere of Australian playwright Melanie Tait’s (The Queen’s Nanny, A Broadcast Coup, The Appleton Ladies’ Potato Race) ludicrously funny new comedy, How to Plot a Hit in Two Days, a bold reimagining of an iconic moment from the 1980s Australian soap opera A Country Practice, from 29th August to 11th October.
Venue: Ensemble Theatre
Address: 78 McDougall Street, Kirribilli
Date: 29th August – 11th October 2025
Ticket: $43-$90
Buy / Ticket: https://boxoffice.ensemble.com.au/WebPages/EntaWebShow/ShowPerformance.aspx
Web: https://www.ensemble.com.au/shows/how-to-plot-a-hit-in-two-days/
EMail: boxoffice@ensemble.com.au
Call: (02) 8918 3400
Address: 78 McDougall Street, Kirribilli
Date: 29th August – 11th October 2025
Ticket: $43-$90
Buy / Ticket: https://boxoffice.ensemble.com.au/WebPages/EntaWebShow/ShowPerformance.aspx
Web: https://www.ensemble.com.au/shows/how-to-plot-a-hit-in-two-days/
EMail: boxoffice@ensemble.com.au
Call: (02) 8918 3400
Request Image Contact: kabukupr@kabukupr.com.au
Starring Australian screen and stage legend Georgie Parker (The Great Divide, Rhinestone Rex and Miss Monica, Murder on the Wireless), How to Plot a Hit in Two Days explores what it was like for the writers of the much-loved Australian TV show to pen one of the most heartbreaking episodes in Australian TV history — when Molly Jones takes her final breath.
It’s 1985. TV prime time. Across Australia, millions of tear-stricken eyes are glued to their television sets in disbelief. A Country Practice’s beloved Molly Jones takes her final breath. Fade to black and she’s gone.
Inside the story room, in a creative flurry powered by coffee, cigarettes and Fantales, the eccentric squad of TV writers have nailed it — they’ve written the perfect death for Australia’s darling. Hearts around the country are broken and forty years later, the pain is only just subsiding.
Director Lee Lewis said, “I hope people will have a chance to see into the beautiful world of television writers – to think about the amazing people who create the characters who come into our living room each night and give us so much joy!”.
Playwright Melanie Tait added, “I’ve had a lifelong love affair with A Country Practice – firstly, as a fan, and then, as a writer. One of the first things I ever wrote was a script for A Country Practice as a nine-year-old. As an adult I’ve come to see what a special place it holds in Australian creative history. I hope this play takes people back to how the show made them feel, and for those who didn’t watch it, I hope it inspires a whole new generation to seek it out and enjoy what I think is Australia’s Golden Age of Television”.
How to Plot a Hit in Two Days features a stellar cast of five alongside Georgie Parker including, Amy Ingram (Queensland Theatre’s POTUS, ABC’s In Our Blood), Genevieve Lemon (John Frost for Crossroads Live’s Sister Act The Musical, Netflix’s The Power of the Dog), Seán O'Shea (Nearer The Gods, Belvoir Theatre’s Tell Me I’m Here), and Julia Robertson (Belvoir 25A’s: POV (with re:group), STC’s The Real Thing), with set and costume design by Simone Romaniuk (The Lover & The Dumb Waiter) and original music by Paul Charlier (Griffin Theatre Co’s Prima Facie).
Whether you’re a diehard fan of this iconic TV series or simply a lover of a cracking Australian story, prepare to roll in the aisles with laughter at this unforgettable new work.
It’s 1985. TV prime time. Across Australia, millions of tear-stricken eyes are glued to their television sets in disbelief. A Country Practice’s beloved Molly Jones takes her final breath. Fade to black and she’s gone.
Inside the story room, in a creative flurry powered by coffee, cigarettes and Fantales, the eccentric squad of TV writers have nailed it — they’ve written the perfect death for Australia’s darling. Hearts around the country are broken and forty years later, the pain is only just subsiding.
Director Lee Lewis said, “I hope people will have a chance to see into the beautiful world of television writers – to think about the amazing people who create the characters who come into our living room each night and give us so much joy!”.
Playwright Melanie Tait added, “I’ve had a lifelong love affair with A Country Practice – firstly, as a fan, and then, as a writer. One of the first things I ever wrote was a script for A Country Practice as a nine-year-old. As an adult I’ve come to see what a special place it holds in Australian creative history. I hope this play takes people back to how the show made them feel, and for those who didn’t watch it, I hope it inspires a whole new generation to seek it out and enjoy what I think is Australia’s Golden Age of Television”.
How to Plot a Hit in Two Days features a stellar cast of five alongside Georgie Parker including, Amy Ingram (Queensland Theatre’s POTUS, ABC’s In Our Blood), Genevieve Lemon (John Frost for Crossroads Live’s Sister Act The Musical, Netflix’s The Power of the Dog), Seán O'Shea (Nearer The Gods, Belvoir Theatre’s Tell Me I’m Here), and Julia Robertson (Belvoir 25A’s: POV (with re:group), STC’s The Real Thing), with set and costume design by Simone Romaniuk (The Lover & The Dumb Waiter) and original music by Paul Charlier (Griffin Theatre Co’s Prima Facie).
Whether you’re a diehard fan of this iconic TV series or simply a lover of a cracking Australian story, prepare to roll in the aisles with laughter at this unforgettable new work.