Share
Clip description
Seemingly oblivious to her grandaughter’s close scrutiny, Ada (voiced by Isobel Lancaster) shells peas at the dining room table as the family members come and go.
Curator’s notes
The contrast between the dominantly grey tones of Ada’s face and clothing and the bright colours of the children’s complexions and figures emphasise the difference in their ages and liveliness. The facial close-ups of Ada and Lee reveal the subtleties of the animator’s pastel drawings. The slower pace and simpler, less technologically-driven lifestyle of the 1950s is conveyed by the family rituals – Ada shells peas whilst the children listen to The Argonauts, a popular Australian children’s radio segment of the era (broadcast during the ABC’s Children’s Hour, 1954–72).
