Lazy in the Sun

Lazy in the Sun is a 1951 Australian radio drama by Max Afford. It was one of Afford's most acclaimed works.^[3] It explored the notion of Australia's responsibilities to the world.^[4][5][6]

Lazy in the Sun

Genre	dramatic play
Running time	60 mins[1] (8:00 pm – 9:00 pm)
Country of origin	Australia
Language	English
Home station	2FC[2]
Written by	Max Afford
Directed by	Frank Harvey
Recording studio	Sydney
Original release	20 October 1951

Wireless Weekly 20 October 1951

The play was broadcast in October 1951 and repeated in December of that year. It was published in a collection of Afford's works in 1974.

The Age said the play "had several faults, but it possessed dramatic shape and was not built on a series of scrappy incidents like most of the Australian plays we are given." He said the play's "theme was labored far too much, to the neglect of essential drama, but the play was worth hearing."^[7]

Leslie Rees called it "moralistic... but with the aid of sincere attitudes and skill in maintaining faith in his people as people, the author clears a difficult hurdle".^[8]

Synopsis

During the Jubilee for Australian Federation, the wealthy Sydney-sider Alice Morton is visited by an Englishwoman, Valerie Hickman, who has come to thank Alice for sending a food parcel to England six months ago. Valerie's mother and sister died in the London Blitz. Alice's son Bill invites Valerie to come to their party. Valeria finds the wealth and materialism of Australia uneasy. Valerie meets Greg, a blind brother of Bill's friend Hal. Bill falls in love with Valerie, to the concern of his family.

Bill proposes to Valerie who rejects him. Valerie wants to return to Britain as she is unable to handle living in Australia, feeling as though the country takes its blessings without thinking. It turns out Valerie was tortured by the Gestapo during the war. Greg points out to Valerie that Australia has been through tough times as well. He proposes to Valerie who accepts, and will stay in Australia.^[9]