.
Reference > Erinsborough News > A Picture Book Role For Elaine

Former Neighbours star Elaine Smith is making her mark on London theatre in a classic pantomime.

What happens to a TV soap star when she leaves Neighbours? Does she sink into oblivion? Join another soap? Join the dole queue? Well, in the case of Elaine Smith, she turns up in a children’s nursery rhyme and proves there is life after Ramsay Street.

Elaine, 26, is making her British pantomime debut in Mother Goose – and in her costume she looks like she’s just stepped out of a picture book. It’s certainly a far cry from the get-up she wore around the suburban homes in Neighbours.

Elaine, of course, played Daphne until she was written out of the super-soap after a fatal car accident. And although fans were amazed that anyone would want to leave the show that has taken both Australia and Britain by storm, Elaine has used her time well since her departure.

First she appeared in an episode of The Flying Doctors, playing a country and western singer, and then she travelled to Scotland to visit the place of her birth.

But Elaine hasn’t severed all her ties with Australia. During her stay in Britain, her boyfriend, ex-Neighbours star Peter O’Brien, will be at her side – both on-stage and off as he has also won a role in Mother Goose.

“It’s lovely that we can both do it together,” says Elaine. “We’ll have a lot of fun.”

Elaine even has to sing during the performance of the children’s classic. Although an accomplished singer, she quickly denies any suggestion that she’ll join Kylie Minogue or Jason Donovan on the airwaves.

“I’m just not interested,” she insists. “I want to be a serious actress.” Maybe Mother Goose will help Elaine on her way.

This article originally appeared in Woman's Day magazine, dated December 20th 1988, and was written by Suzanne Monks

Article submitted by Steve