“After the Party” is a series that was born out of anger. Co-creator Dianne Taylor reveals, “It came from a lot of anger.” Taylor and Robyn Malcolm decided to collaborate on the project after Malcolm was turned down for a role she was perfectly suited for due to her age. They wanted to create something where a 50-year-old character is played by a 50-year-old actress. The result is a gripping and thought-provoking miniseries.
A Story Driven by Rage
The initial inspiration for “After the Party” was anger, but as the project developed, it transformed into something much more. Malcolm explains, “For the longest time, we didn’t have a character and we didn’t have a story. All we had was this rage. Then we decided to use our own lives and own experiences, and in the meantime, this anger just went away.”
The series revolves around Penny, played by Robyn Malcolm herself. Penny is a high-school teacher who accused her own husband of sexually exploiting her daughter’s drunk teenage friend during a party years ago. Now, he is back, and Penny faces pressure from her daughter and others to move on.
A Complex and Unapologetic Character
Penny is a character who struggles to let go, constantly on the edge of something. Even during intense moments, like a discussion about pornography she found on a student’s phone, she can’t sit still. Malcolm observes, “The only time you see her sitting still is when she is posing, and even then, she can’t fully relax.”
One of the striking aspects of the series is the way it portrays middle-aged women. Malcolm explains, “We realized that so many middle-aged women we see in movies or shows wear a lot of white and giggle, and have these enormous kitchens. I don’t know women like that at all! Instead, we thought about characters like Olive Kitteridge and Mare from ‘Mare of Easttown.’ These are women who actually feel real.”
A Multilayered Story
“With her friends and family members asking Penny to let go of the drama and accept Phil’s return to the community, she needs to make difficult choices again. But is she telling the truth?” This question creates a sense of ambiguity that leaves viewers on the edge of their seats. People have become so invested in the show that they’ve approached the creators on the street, desperate for answers.
But the creators, Taylor and Malcolm, intentionally left certain aspects open to interpretation. “We wanted the audience to have doubts,” says Malcolm. The goal was to create a complex and fun viewing experience, much like Chekhov’s plays, which combine darkness with humor.
Breaking the Rules
Taylor admits that they didn’t follow any established pattern while creating the series. “It’s my first TV show. I’ve never ‘learned’ how to write for TV, I never followed that one pattern, so we did what we wanted to do. Only to then hear people say that it’s the best TV show from New Zealand ever. It created this huge conversation at home.”
This groundbreaking series has caught the attention of international audiences as well. With broadcasts in New Zealand, Australia, and the UK, “After the Party” is making waves for its fearless storytelling and exceptional performances.