The Man Who Shot the Albatross is a play by Ray Lawler about the Rum Rebellion, first performed in 1971 and turned into a 1972 TV movie featuring the same cast.
According to The Bulletin: "Only a few years ago the ABC found the proposal anathema, sensing in it, perhaps, an excruciating potential for too many squashed toes.
Yet arguments for the idea, backed by some recent advances in quality and popularity of local theatre, have eventually proved too strong."
According to the Australia Council, the "new scheme is going to spread the best fruits of the two leading theatre companies more equitably across a nation which, after all, does help to support them".
[11] The Sydney Sun Herald thought it was "an improvement on the stage play" but was "somewhat disappointing" and not as good as older ABC serials like Stormy Petrel.