Marshall Law: articles


McCune, Whyte

THE SISTERHOOD: Lisa McCune and co-star Alison Whyte play lawyer sisters Ros and Verity.

McCune works her magic

TV SOAP reporter John Burfitt visits golden girl Lisa McCune on the set of Marshall Law

IT's a scene of organised chaos outside the the set of Marshall Law at Seven's Melbourne studios.

Costume-clad actors wielding scripts rush in and out.

But when the light above the studio's main door finally flashes red, the bustling stops. No-one can enter. Filming has begun.

Inside, Lisa McCune (Ros Marshall) sits at a cafe table, going through last-minute script changes with the director. Her co-star Nick Farnell (Mikey O'Dea) listens in because the changes affect a conversation between their characters. At another table sits William McInnes (Dylan Boyd). McCune glances over and McInnes gives her a reassuring smile.

The director yells "action!" and the actors transform into characters. When the director cries "cut!?, the actors rest. McCune walks over with a smile.

"There's something magic about working on TV," says the Aussie golden girl. "There's more pressure working on TV than there is on stage, but I love the excitement of creating these character in front of a camera,"

Watching McInnes, she says, "William and I never got much to do together on Blue Heelers, so it's been nice to work closer with him now. We're filming in the same studios as Heelers, but I don't think we've ever felt we're back doing what we started on. They're worlds apart."

Co-star Alison Whyte, who plays Ros' older sister Verity Marshall, rushes upstairs to her dressing room. She kicks off her shoes and relaxes for a few minutes before her next scene. "You've got to take these moments off, as they're rare," she smiles, stretching her stockinged feet. "The other day I had an early start and a few hours off in the middle of the day, so I went home and had a sleep! I'm a much nicer person when I do things like that!" she laughs.

Landing this role was unexpected for Whyte. "Marshall Law has turned out to be so much bigger than I expected, because in the pilot episode I played Prue. Then I was offered the role of Verity.

"At first I wondered if I could do this, as I had a baby at home. But everything is going along fine. I just grab naps when I can."

Jane Hall, who took on the role of the Marshall sisters' bitchy adversary Prue, gets make-up done and heads to wardrobe to be fitted with one of Prue's trademark designer suits. "Don't look too close as there aren't many top labels on these suits," Hall admits, "but they do help make the character. Appearances are everything for Prue and there ain't much more to her as she clicks around in her high heels!"

All four actors are called back for the next scene. It's set in a consultation room where the lawyers agree the terms of a new case. "Action!"

By John Burfitt
Oct 07-Oct 21, 2002
TV Soap