#jonathan gavin

You might recognise him as counsellor Graham from Puberty Blues, but Jonathan Gavin is actually a key writer for the show. He also writes for one of Australia's other beloved dramas, Offspring. In fact, he wrote THAT season finale. The Insider chatted with Jonathan Gavin about killing Patrick, 70s nostalgia, classic cars and more... You’ve written for two of the most acclaimed Aussie dramas in recent memory – is there any kind of formula for success or does it really just differ case by case? There is no formula, but there are a few principles. In the case of Offspring and Puberty Blues, there are two important common factors: the brilliant producers John Edwards and Imogen Banks. They bring together creative teams who share a commitment to the quality of the work. Puberty Blues and Offspring are very different dramas, and part of their success is that they are distinctive. Any story benefits from trying to be itself, not to follow a formula. A drama is also a shared thing; the result of the collaboration of large numbers of people. Writers, directors, designers, actors, editors, composers. When the vision is shared, the magic happens.   A successful drama has to have an aspiration, fuelled by the desire to understand and articulate something true about existence. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that to make drama well you can't be cynical; you have to commit and recommit to the story and make telling it well your goal.   Puberty Blues really shines in capturing the voice of the younger characters – how challenging is it writing authentic dialogue for them?  Is it harder than writing the adults? The weird thing about writing is that you have to be all of the characters when you write them. In that sense it's not any harder to write for the teens, you just have to go to a different place inside to find their voices. What I love about writing for actors I know is that they inspire the writing. Working on Puberty Blues there was also a lot of fun research into the slang specific to the time and place. As seen particularly last season on Offspring, the audience have very definite ideas about what they do and don’t want to happen to their favourite characters. Is it hard balancing your responsibility as a writer with servicing fans of the show? Surprising question. Before we begin writing a season of Offspring, we plan the overall shape of the series. Debra Oswald, the co-creator and head writer, will have those big arcs in mind at the outset. I'm sure everyone who watches the show knows how long and hard we thought about Patrick's death last season. We knew it would be upsetting for the audience. It was upsetting to us too. I wrote the episode in which he died. Every time I sat down to write it, I'd have to leave the computer because I'd be crying. (you see what I mean about how you can't be cynical?) When I first saw the edited episode, I had the same reaction the fans had. It made me angry. I couldn't believe it. How could he be dead? Why did that senseless thing happen? However, it wasn't the end of the story, but a waypoint in a very large narrative arc about life and family and the meaning of love. Nina has so much further to travel. What do you need to consider writing for different mediums like TV to theatre? Yeah, they're different! Drama is drama no matter the medium, but there are idiosyncrasies (wonderful ones) that make them different. For example, in the theatre, you can write a scene on a beach, and with a change of lighting, hey presto we're on a beach. In TV, you have to take a crew to a beach, which can be a very complicated venture. Each medium has its own special magic, and its own limitations. Writing for theatre, obviously when it comes to live performance there isn’t the safety net of another take. Do you find that exhilarating, or do you sometimes wish you had the luxury of another chance to nail the scene? You do have another chance- you get to come back tomorrow night and try again! One of the cruel things about performing onscreen is that you've got a tiny amount of time to record a scene, before you have to move on. And if you don't nail it, you don't nail it. In the theatre you rehearse a lot, and then you get to perform it again and again. Moments get refined. Television is more immediate, but also much riskier. You also play Graham in Puberty Blues! What is it like writing for a character you will play? I tried to write as little as possible for myself because it's too weird! What is your favourite part of playing Graham in Puberty Blues? He's an unusual guy, which makes him unpredictable. It's fun to play someone who is a wildcard. Working with Susan Prior is magnificent. She's an extraordinary artist and friend. When writing for Puberty Blues, did you find it slightly nostalgic writing about Iced Vovo’s, Tupperware and other Aussie products from back in the day? Nostalgic, yes, and hilarious, and sometimes embarrassing. As a bit of a car-enthusiast, I loved being on set with the cars from the seventies, and getting to drive one of them was really cool. In this season of Puberty Blues, there’s quite a bit of turbulence this season concerning Cheryl’s character. Were there any obstacles in developing this role? Obstacles? No, quite the opposite! Charlotte Best is a fearless and brilliant actor, and all of the characters on Puberty Blues present such fantastic opportunities. Cheryl develops and deepens in Season 2, and her relationships with Debbie and Sue change shape significantly. I have to stop writing or I'll start giving away spoilers! A Moment on the Lips, a new play written by Jonathan Gavin, is showing now in Sydney. Buy tickets here. Watch Puberty Blues Wednesdays 8.30 on TEN. Offspring Season 5 is coming soon to TEN. Follow the show on Facebook for more!