From big hair to moving on up
It has been labelled ‘as Kiwi as lamingtons, pineapple lumps and L&P’ and now a new documentary looks at how Shortland Street reflects New Zealand society.
Shortland Street: Inside An Icon features interviews from many cast members including Robbie Magasiva, Teuila Blakely, Frankie Adams, Robyn Malcolm, Elisabeth Easther and Angela Bloomfield. There is also commentary from Michael Galvin, who was there when Shortland
Street began. Plus there are opinions from various people who have been associated with the soap in the past such as Bettina Hollings and Ruth Harley.
Michaela Rooney, who is a Shortland Street scriptwriter and editor, was the researcher for this documentary and viewers may remember her from 20 years ago when she played Dr Emily Devine.
“She was great,” says Rooney. “She had a bun, glasses and a centre part.”
The documentary examines how the show began and how it has evolved over the years.
“It’s a look back right from the beginning, how the show was established and why the network went with it and just its genesis in terms of what was the story that they wanted to tell,” says Rooney. The programme also looks at diversity. “But it’s definitely not a pointy-headed documentary,” stresses Rooney. “It’s very entertaining – like the show itself. I think people will watch it and the older members of the family on the couch will be reminiscing and the younger ones will be guffawing at what the costumes looked like – the large hairdos, the big earrings and also just the way the show looked. It was very dark. It was very contained.
“One of the people in the doco mentions how you don’t see people walking and talking. In the early days people arrived at their mark and said their lines whether in reception or in an exam room whereas nowadays you are walking and talking. Everything is on the move.”