Love thy Neighbours
Article from: www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22110578-5006343,00.html
July 22, 2007 03:45pm

The iconic theme song states that 'everybody needs good neighbours', but viewers of Australia's long-running soap haven't been feeling the love.

In the last few years had seemingly forgotten its initial brief - to explore everyday suburban Australia - and headed into a world of heightened, at times ludicrous storylines. Cue bombings, kidnappings and a same sex liaison. Ramsay St was becoming restless, well, heading into worlds more often associated with The Young And The Restless. Viewers were quickly opting for other 6.30pm offerings, namely the tabloid current affairs programs of the other two commercial networks.

A change was needed and this week sees the first round in a string of measures aimed at setting Neighbours back on track. Simplified and familial scripts, coupled with a slew of familiar faces like Jane Hall, Steve Bastoni (below), Penny Cook and Brett Tucker - who have already, or will soon, join the soap have been adopted to lift the serialised drama to its former glory. New sets, tighter editing, a reworked theme song, slick production techniques and a move to High Definition filming have also been introduced.

Newcomer Hall, who has already entered the street as Rebecca Napier, is honoured to be a part of such an iconic Australian series. “Neighbours is a legend of a show,’’ she says. “And now, it’s getting back to the heart-land -to relationships and family and the ins-and-outs of life.’’

Hall describes her first day on the Ramsay St set as surreal. “I just couldn’t believe I was there,’’ she says. But she says she wasn’t fussed by the criticism the show has received in recent times. “It never bothers me in the slightest,’’ she says. “It’s always fashionable to knock Neighbours ... but people need to give it another go. There’s some quality work happening on set, some really great performances and I’m really proud of it.’’

In the four months she’s been filming, Hall says she’s been surprised by how much hard work a day on the Neighbours set is. “In all honesty, it’s the hardest work I’ve ever done,’’ she says. “With so many scenes filmed every day, they work you hard, but it’s really rewarding.’’  For Bastoni, who drives into Erisnborough with his family tomorrow, the changes to Neighbours and the simplified approach adopted by producers were key to his joining the series. “To be honest I wasn’t really looking for serialised work and was actually a little reticent when first approached about doing Neighbours,” Bastoni says. “Then they told me they had major changes planned. “They were putting a lot of resources into lifting the show in terms of giving it a more quality look and I was on board.” Bastoni plays the role of new vet Steve, Ned’s (Dan O’Conner) elder brother.

Thankfully producers didn’t change the program’s lyrics, as Australian’s look to again need their Neighbours.

Neighbours, Ch 10, weekdays, 6.30pm.