The Appleton Ladies' Potato Race

2023 Australian TV series or program

Claire van der Boom
Katie Wall
Genevieve Lemon
Tiriel Mora
Robyn Nevin
Olivia Stamboulia
Andy Ryan

Music by

Cornel Wilczek
Thomas Rouch

Country of originAustraliaOriginal languageEnglishProductionProducers

Andrea Keir
Lisa Duff

CinematographyHenry PierceEditorKatie FlaxmanRunning time108 minutesOriginal releaseNetworkNetwork 10Release26 July 2023 (2023-07-26)

The Appleton Ladies' Potato Race is a 2023 Australian television feature film based on the stage play of the same name by Australian playwright and journalist Melanie Tait. The film premiered in Australia on Network Ten and was released on streaming on Paramount+ Australia.^[1]

Plot

Doctor Penny Anderson moves from Sydney to her childhood home of Appleton. While visiting the hair salon of her sister Nikki, Penny sees a flyer advertising The Appleton Show and its famous potato race. She discovers the men's first prize pays out $2,000 and the winning woman's prize is only $200. Penny leads a protest which causes turmoil in Appleton, particularly with Nikki, who is the current champion.

Cast

Claire van der Boom as Penny Anderson
Katie Wall as Nikki Anderson Bunyan
Genevieve Lemon as Barb Brickner
Tiriel Mora as Bob Bunyan
Robyn Nevin as Joan Bunyan
Olivia Stamboulia as Rania Hamid
Andy Ryan as Gavin Bunyan
Cece Peters as Kazzy Pearce
Rohan Nichol as Mark Bunyan
Nicholas Bakopoulos-Cooke as Elliot Bunyan
TJ Barrett as Ethan Bunyan
William Glinellis as Eddie Bunyan
Safia Arain as Miriam Hamid
Darren Gilshenan as Billy Pope
John Batchelor as Billy Pearce
Maggie Dence as Miss Vaughn
John Gaden as Dr Holliday
Will McNeill as Luke Pearce

Production

The film is based on a play by Melanie Tait, originally developed and performed with the Ensemble Theatre in Sydney. This was inspired by a real event in Tait's hometown of Robertson, New South Wales.^[2]^[3]

The film was shot in Sydney and the Southern Highlands with finance from Screen Australia, Screen NSW, and the NSW Regional Film Fund.^[4]^[5]

Reception

Andrew Mercardo of Mediaweek called it "charming… whilst it doesn’t play like a pilot, it would make for a great ongoing series."^[6] Lenny Ann Low of The Sydney Morning Herald described the film as "sparky, funny, compassionate and honest."^[7]

References

^ Low, Lenny Ann (21 July 2023). "A funny, compassionate, honest tale about feminism, culture clashes and potatoes". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
^ Demertzis, Vera (25 July 2023). "Former Robertson playwright Melanie Tait's 'The Appleton Ladies' Potato' comes to life on Channel 10". Illawarra Mercury. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
^ McLaren, Nick (9 December 2022). "Extras sought for The Appleton Ladies' Potato Race now filming in Robertson, Bundanoon". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
^ "'The Appleton Ladies' Potato Race' (Trailer)". If magazine. 18 July 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
^ "PARAMOUNT+ ANNOUNCES CAST OF THE APPLETON LADIES' POTATO RACE". Screen Australia. 29 July 2023. 5 December 2022.
^ Mercado, Andrew (21 July 2023). "Mercado on TV: Charming new Aussie telemovie The Appleton Ladies' Potato Race". Mediaweek. Retrieved 29 July 2023.
^ Low, Lenny Ann (15 July 2023). "A funny, compassionate, honest tale about feminism, culture clashes and potatoes". The Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment Co. Retrieved 5 September 2023.