Big Girl's Blouse is an Australian sketch comedy program that was produced by Steve Vizard and Andrew Knight's Artist Services and broadcast in 1994-5 on the Seven Network. It was written and performed by Gina Riley, Jane Turner and Magda Szubanski. Early versions of the trio's Kath & Kim characters, Kath, Kim and Sharon, appeared for the first time in the show, in several sketches based around Kim's wedding.
The phrase "Big Girl's Blouse" is a British English idiom meaning "ineffectual or weak, someone failing to show masculine strength or determination." Originally titled Fast Women,Steven Bedwell, Vizard Uncut: the Full Story Melbourne University Press, Carlton 2007 p. 237 Big Girl's Blouse was the second of three sketch shows featuring Riley, Turner and Szubanski, following Fast Forward and followed by Something Stupid.
The show began as a one-hour special, screened in October 1994.Jim Schembri, 'Big girlie serve of big girlie laughs' Melbourne Age 'Green Guide', 6 October 1994 p. 3 Critics lauded it (Ross Warneke in the Melbourne Age described it as 'crackerjack entertainment - pacy, fresh and wickedly funny').Ross Warneke 'Drama delves into religious complexities' Melbourne Age 'Green Guide' 20 October 1994 p. 4 Its commercial success inspired the Seven Network to commission a series, announced in January 1995.Jim Schembri 'TV '95' Melbourne Age 'Green Guide' 5 January 1995 pp. 1-2 While the series was, like the original special, a critical success it was taken off air in April 1995 after three episodes had been screened as it was rating poorly against the drama ER.Rachel Browne 'After the Laughter' Sydney Sun-Herald 9 April 1995 p. 22 In May, it was announced that the show had been shortlisted for a comedy award at the Rose d'Or in Montreaux.Jane Freeman, 'Teen mini-series gets the nod' Sydney Morning Herald 'The Guide' section, 1 May 1995 p. 2s The remaining episodes were shown packaged as one-hour programs.Ross Warneke '"Correlli" wins timeslot reprieve, "G.P." paroled' Melbourne Age 'Green Guide' 29 June 1995 p. 4
Reruns In Australia, the show periodically aired on The Comedy Channel. In America it occasionally appears on the Sundance Channel. Many of the sketches are still available on YouTube.
DVD release The show was released in its entirety by Shock DVD in Australia on 17 October 2003.
References
External links Big Girl's Blouse at the National Film and Sound Archive