The One Day of the Year

Origins

The play was inspired by an article in the University of Sydney newspaper Honi Soit criticising Anzac Day and Seymour's own observations of how ex-servicemen behaved on that day. The character of Alf was based on Seymour's brother in law.

Plot

Alf’s son Hughie and his girlfriend Jan plan to document Anzac Day for the university newspaper, focusing on the drinking on Anzac Day. For the first time in his life Hughie refuses to attend the dawn service with Alf. When he watches the march on television at home with his mother and Wacka, he is torn between outrage at the display and love for his father.

Characters

Alf Cook, Dot Cook, Hughie Cook, Wacka Dawson and Jan Castle.

Productions

The play was rejected by the Adelaide Festival of Arts Board of Governors in 1960, but made its debut on 20 July 1960 as an amateur production by the Adelaide Theatre Group. Jean Marshall, the Director, and those involved in the Adelaide production received death threats. The first professional season was in April 1961 at the Palace Theatre in Sydney. It proved controversial and Seymour also received death threats however it was popular and there have been productions ever since. In 1961 Seymour travelled to London where the play was directed by Raymond Menmuir at the Theatre Royal Stratford East.

The play was published by Theatregoer magazine at a time when publishing Australian plays was rare.

Television productions

There were several productions of The One Day of the Year filmed for television. In 1962 there was an Australian and a British production. In 1964 there was a Canadian production.

1962 British television version

The play was adapted for British TV in 1962 and produced by James Ormerod.

Cast

• Kenneth Warren as Alf Cook
• Reg Lye as Wacka
• Madge Ryan as Dot Cook
• George Roubicek as Hughie Cook
• Georgina Ward as Jan Castle

Film adaptation

Producer Louis F. Edelman announced in 1970 he would make a film version. Rights were held by Anthony Buckley, who edited a film for Edelemn in Australia, Adam's Woman. However Buckley took away the rights when Edelman announced he wanted to cast Australian actors.

References

References

1. Jinman, Richard. (2003-04-02). "Stirring struggle endures to this Day". Sydney Morning Herald.
2. McEvoy, Marc. (25 March 2015). "One Day of the Year that changed writer Alan Seymour's life".
3. Vagg, Stephen. (2 December 2025). "Forgotten Australian Television Plays: The One Day of the Year".
4. Harvey, Frank. (2 July 1965). "Playwrights and the theatre trust". Sydney Morning Herald.
5. Martin, Betty. (4 Mar 1970). "Loren, Mastroianni to Star". Los Angeles Times.