Melanie Tait
The Appleton Ladies’ Potato Race
Currency Press, 2021
In the tidy town of Appleton, things are just so. Men are men, women are women, and vegetables are not cake … and that’s the way it’s always been. That is, until prodigal daughter Penny returns from the big smoke to set up shop as the local GP.
Penny was always something of an outsider. While she was off getting educated and travelling the world, the good folk of Appleton kept about their business — living hard and working harder, and trying not to stuff things up too much before each year’s great event, the famous Appleton Potato Race.
Penny never much cared about the potato race, but when she discovers that the men’s prize is five times more than the women’s, she suddenly does care. A lot. And she’s determined to do something about it.
About the Author
Melanie Tait is a playwright and screenwriter with a proven record in Australia and the UK. Her first play The Vegemite Tales won critical and popular acclaim, playing eight years in London, including two on the West End. Melanie then trained as a journalist with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, where she worked for twelve years across radio, podcasting and television. She still appears regularly as a commentator on ABC Radio and ABC TV.
Melanie's second play The Appleton Ladies’ Potato Race premiered at the Ensemble Theatre in Sydney in March 2019 and toured nationally in May-June 2021. It's had seasons right around Australia including at the State Theatre Company of SA and upcoming productions at Queensland Theatre and Court Theatre New Zealand. Melanie's screenplay of The Appleton Ladies' Potato Race is being made into a feature film by Paramount+, Congaline and EQ Media.
Melanie's third play, A Broadcast Coup, will open in January 2023 at Ensemble Theatre as part of Sydney Festival. Melanie has plays under commission at Melbourne Theatre Company and Ensemble Theatre.
