The favourite scenes of ‘Karl & Susan’

In the second of a two part interview with Jackie Woodburne & Alan Fletcher celebrating 25 Years on Neighbours we discuss their favourite scenes, some not so favourite and their future.

Part One: Alan Fletcher, Jackie Woodburne: 25 Years on Neighbours

In the 25 years they have been on air, Jackie Woodburne & Alan Fletcher have surely had their share of classic soapie storylines. From affairs to amnesia and remarriage.

Both actors regularly offer suggestions to writers for story ideas and are renowned for their ability to improvise and breathe ‘extra’ life into the roles of Susan and Karl Kennedy.

“We’ve always pitched ideas. I guess because we know the characters so well, so they’re happy for any ideas,” Jackie Woodburne explains.

“I think the writers do a stunning job. I can’t imagine how they keep churning out these stories after all these years.

“Our job is to find a way to make that truthful.”

“Our characters are asked to do all kinds of stuff. Our job is to find a way to make that truthful.

“So it’s more just making it character-truthful or more realistically-spoken. If we come up with a gag occasionally, that’s a bonus.”

“There’s a helluva lot of gags lying on the cutting room floor!” jokes Alan Fletcher.

Sometimes the storylines are so challenging -or even unexpected- it can test the most seasoned of soap stars. Susan Kennedy was scripted to have a ‘very hot affair’ with a priest (Andrew Larkins).

“I had a couple that I baulked at initially but they turned out to be great stories,” Woodburne says. “The priest story, when I was told about it, I thought ‘That’s just a really big yuck!’

“They said it would be like The Thorn Birds. I said ‘No it won’t!’

“But it was a great story.

“Retrograde amnesia? I said ‘Come on!’”

“Retrograde amnesia? I said ‘Come on!’ But then I had to think ‘Who was this woman when she was 16?’

“And we had so much fun doing that.”

Alan Fletcher recalls, “One of my most moving moments was when they divorced, and Karl & Susan were renewing their vows. And Susan remembers her original vows from their first wedding, mid-stream during their renewal. It was an intensely powerful moment.

“Of course I can play this but it doesn’t feel like Neighbours.”

“But the story I disliked was when they made me a pharmaceutical salesperson. The company was dumping expired drugs into Africa. Karl got wind of it and started to spy on the company. It was cloak and dagger breaking into warehouses.

“The whole time I was thinking, ‘Of course I can play this but it doesn’t feel like Neighbours.’”

“He drew on a lot of Miss Marple!” jokes Woodburne.

“There are so many and often they are tiny little moments and sometimes not even scenes about you. I have moments on set with young actors where I’ve seen them have a light bulb moment.

“They’ve made another little step along the way to becoming a good actor. Those moments are just so exciting.”

Fletcher nominates Episode 7000 as his most favourite storyline when Karl Kennedy found a scratchie ticket, and won $7000. But he then lost the winning ticket.

“He retraced his steps to Toadie’s. But Toadie was having a ‘naturalist lunch.’ They were all nude. So the only way Karl could go in was to nude up,” he recalls.

“Toadie’s head was concealing my privates. When he got up the scratchie was stuck to his backside!

“It was a silly, gorgeous scene.”

“Shit happened, so she’s affected by that.”

With all the stories they have portrayed I ask about the shifts in their characters across the two decades?

Jackie Woodburne suggests, “I think Susan -having gone through the affairs, marriage breakdown, getting back together- has an edge now she didn’t have 15 years ago, because she’s been damaged. She’s gotten her life back together and she’s very happy. She loves her husband. But shit happened, so she’s affected by that.”

“Stefan asked me, ‘Why does Karl hate Paul so much?’ I said, ‘How can you forget? You framed Phil Martin for a crime he didn’t commit,’” Fletcher continues.

“Karl never forgave Paul for that.

“Stefan (Dennis) and I back then made a pact that wherever possible we should look for conflict whether it was scripted or not.”

Both credit executive producer Jason Herbison with revitalising the show and in particular his affection for the show’s own history. In addition to nostalgic returns, Neighbours has lifted its diversity and visibility.

“Jason’s love of the show, and his handle on it goes right back to the very beginning. He knows it inside out, he knows what works,” Woodburne insists.

“We’re really telling stories about today’s world.”

“Same sex marriage, a transgender storyline, we’re really telling stories about today’s world.”

“For a long time Neighbours laboured under the spectre of being an Anglo-Celtic show,” Fletcher observes.

“Jason’s push for diversity has been ongoing but it actually started years ago but has moved in subtle ways. Even in the casting of extras and bit part players. If you look inside Harold’s now you will see a lot of nationalities. It’s fantastic.”

So where to from here? Will they both be on the show in another 25 years? Neither is prepared to predict their future, taking a pragmatic approach.

“A lot of actors have left Neighbours and gone onto spectacular success, all hail to them,” Fletcher continues.

“For others, sometimes it has been the luck of the draw. They’ve left but haven’t gone onto other things.

“But the working relationship we have is manna from heaven.

“I can honestly say to you that no matter what is happening in my life, when I drive onto this lot and walk into the green room, it all goes away.”

“I will give it away when I’m on a walking frame, I think.”

“I will give it away when I’m on a walking frame, I think.

“My time will be over when either they have had enough of me or I find something else that I really want to do that can’t be done while I’m on Neighbours. The show has been very accommodating if you have things you want to go off and do.

“If you lose the fire, it’s time to move.”

Jackie Woodburne also can’t foresee the end.

“Who knows? Every actor thinks (producers) will wake up and realise they’ve made a dreadful mistake. I’ll just take it as it come,” she reveals. “No idea.”

Neighbours airs 6:30pm weeknights on 10 Peach.