Lynne McGranger has been one of the most recognisable faces on our TV screens for more than 30 years, thanks to her long-running role as the classic Aussie battler Irene Roberts on Home and Away.
In 2014 she was acknowledged as a TV actor legend when she became the longest serving female cast member of any Australian TV show.
And now for a spoiler alert.
Lynne is about to step away from Irene for nearly six months as she travels first overseas for a month with husband Paul McWaters before diving into rehearsals then production of new Aussie musical comedy The Grandparents Club which makes its debut in May before touring across metro and regional venues in NSW, the ACT and Victoria.
“I like to think of it as off Broadway,” she said. “Mind you, with some locations it’s off, off, off, off, off Broadway.”
So what will we do without Irene in Summer Bay for that long?
“Oh, you’ll get by,” Lynne said. “Without Irene, there’s always plenty more drama going on so don’t worry.”
She is really excited to be stepping back on to the stage in a musical and comedy role.
“I’m going back to my roots, love,” she said. “I can’t wait. This is how I started off.”
The Grandparents Club was written by Lynne’s long-time mate Wendy Harmer and she can’t wait to work with the comedy legend again.
In fact, it sounds like Wendy could have written the part of Liz for Lynne.
“Nah,” Lynne said. “She’s never said anything about that but I will thrilled to be asked to play Liz because she’s a wonderful character.
“Liz is very busy with her family and grandkids. Her husband is a bit of a dill, as most men are at that age, but she loves him.
“Liz is very matter-of-fact and much more urban than Irene who is trying to make up for the fact that she was a drunk as a mother. Liz is dedicated to raising them.”
Introducing The Grandparents Club
This show features the music of multi award-winning composer and music director John Field while the 90-minute revue is performed by a stellar cast led by Lynne, Laurence Coy as Jimmy Bigelow, Meredith O’Reilly as Maria and Andrew James as Jeff.
It is an all-you-can-eat buffet of stand-up, send-up and song in the club’s famous bar, cafe and spa with club president and host Jimmy Bigelow and regulars Jeff, Liz and Maria.
“I am thrilled to be involved with The Grandparents Club which celebrates grandparents in all their glory,” Lynne said.
“I am going back to my roots on stage with three extraordinarily talented theatrical actors. I am so excited to be working with the doyenne of Australian comedy Wendy Harmer, the much-heralded director Luke Joslin and the exceptionally talented MD John Field.
“It’s all about the grandparents who meet at the club where they can play trivia, have a schnitty and a glass or two of chardy and enjoy themselves.”
From black board to black curtains
Born and bred in Sydney, Lynne graduated as a primary school teacher from the Riverina College of Advanced Education in 1975, and as fate would have it, also won the best actress award at the college drama festival that same year.
She taught for several years afterwards but it was only a matter of time before she decided to follow her true passion of acting.
Before joining Home and Away full time in 1993 Lynne had written, choreographed and performed in numerous productions, from comedy and drama to cabaret and musicals, both on television and on stages across Australia.
In 1989 she performed with The Natural Normans, which included Wendy Harmer, at the Edinburgh Fringe in the Perrier Award nominated Dog’s Breakfast.
2019 saw Lynne star alongside some of Australia’s favourite leading ladies in the one-off special, Ladies Night.
In 2020 she put her time in COVID-lockdown to good use, penning her first memoir, Acting Up, which was published and released by Echo Publishing in late 2021.
Lynne was runner up on the 14th season of Dancing with the Stars.
She has received critical acclaim for her stage roles in Harold Pinter’s The Lover and Honey, an award-winning play based on Bryce Courtney’s Smokey Joe’s Cafe.
