
Melbourne
March 29-30, 2025
Melbourne Showgrounds
After successful outings in the UK and US, The Office has finally premiered in Australia, with Australian comedian and actress Felicity Ward taking on the role of Hannah Howard, the Managing Director of packaging company Flinley Craddick.
When Hannah hears from the Head Office that they will be shutting down her branch and making everyone work from home, she goes into survival mode, making promises she can’t keep to keep her “work family” together.
“Cringey, chaotic and funny” is how Ward summarises this season of The Office.
Chaos is an apt descriptor of this show as it’s established in each episode how much the staff of Flinley Craddick must indulge and endure Hannah’s outlandish plots as they work toward the impossible targets that have been set for them to keep the branch open.
“I think that the great thing about The Office, in general, is what it does is it takes everyone’s unique culture, office culture and comedy, and it’s presented in a way that’s accessible for every other country to understand,” Ward explains to Supanova.
While the mockumentary format was clear for Australia to adapt to, it’s essential to establish a uniqueness separate from the UK and the US because work culture is different in every country. Translating that to a global audience requires carefully balancing the series’ familiarity with Australia’s dry, ironic, and, at times, self-deprecating humour.
“They have four characters that are single. There are the love interests, and then there’s a boss who has a very loyal, weird sidekick. They’re the common things in all of them, and they are set in an office,” Ward says,
“But what sets the American and the British one apart is that they are so uniquely American and so uniquely British, and yet, because of the way that it’s written and because the characters are so recognisable, it’s accessible for the rest of the world to relate to and enjoy.”
The Office Australia is also the first version to have a female boss. Ward didn’t feel pressure to emulate Ricky Gervais or Steve Carrell’s versions of the boss because she felt an instant connection to her character.
“Without trying to go, ‘Oh, how can I make it different from so-and-so?’ It just automatically is. It is different because it’s a different world, it’s different writing, but also the character was so similar to just the worst parts of me. When I tell you I did zero preparation for this character, I was like, ‘Oh, all of the things that people have ever rolled their eyes at me for, that’s who Hannah Howard is.’”
Ward’s passion for Hannah shines throughout our interview. She remembers happily the time someone had connected to her character.
“Someone came up to me and said, ‘I just wanted to say that, as someone with ADHD, it was so nice to see someone completely unmasked.’”
Ward quips, “That’s Hannah. Hannah’s unmasked ADHD.”
Two other key elements of the show are Hannah’s quirky, loyal sidekick is Lizzie Moyle, played by Kiwi actress Edith Poor (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Sweet Tooth) and production designer Rosalyn Durnford.
“When I first walked onto the set, I went, ‘Oh my God, this is The Office.’ It felt like The Office. And, at that point, I was very aware that I was a part of The Office. But when I was acting with Edith, and when she was playing Lizzie and I was playing Hannah, I’m not thinking about any other version of The Office. All I’m thinking about is, ‘How can we make this the funniest thing that it can be?’ And also, Edith plays Lizzie so deeply weird. She’s so weird.”
The series was filmed over approximately seven weeks, and every minute was enjoyable for Ward, who expresses gratitude to Supanova for being cast for this role.
“It’s unbelievable. I’m in my mid-40s, and to be the lead in one of the most beloved iconic sitcom franchises of all time. What a gift. Of course, there’s going to be a huge backlash. I knew that was going to happen. But the biggest feeling I have is gratitude. And like, what an opportunity and what a privilege to get to do this.
“I would add that if people are reluctant; to watch a couple of episodes. That’s the best way to answer your curiosity about what you think of this show. And also, to remember that what’s happening to this show happened to the American show 20 years ago.
“If someone is watching this, try not to compare one episode of the Australian Office to nine seasons of the American Office that you’ve watched seven times through. And that this is its own show.”
Season 1 of ‘The Office’ is now streaming via Prime Video
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