Janet Andrewartha (16 September 1951 – 26 July 2024) was an Australian television and theatre actress and director and singer. Andrewartha began her career as a high school music teacher before attending drama school. She graduated in 1979 and began securing television and theatre roles.

Andrewartha's most significant roles were in Australian television series, most prominently Rebecca "Reb" Kean in Prisoner and Lyn Scully in the soap opera Neighbours.

Outside of television, she actively pursued a theatre career, starting in the early 1980s and performing for over four decades, working in numerous productions with the Melbourne Theatre Company, Playbox Theatre Company and numerous others.

Early life Andrewartha was born in Melbourne, Victoria. In her early life, Andrewartha did not plan to become an actress and worked as a music teacher. While she worked in a high school, the principal asked Andrewartha to stage an end of year musical with her year 10 classes. She knew nothing about theatre and was asked to study to aid the production. Andrewartha took a part-time drama course and after one year decided to quit teaching to pursue acting full-time. She attended a three-year drama school course at the National Theatre in Melbourne. Andrewartha graduated from the National Theatre in 1979.

Career Theatre

In 1981, Andrewartha toured her one-woman theatre show in Melbourne, titled Singing in the Raid. In 1982, she performed her show at the National Theatre. She played Iris in the production Framework at the Universal Theatre, in Fitzroy. In 1984, she took the role of Polly in the Victorian Arts Centre production of The Three-penny Opera.

In 1985, she took roles in Russell Street Theatre productions. She acted in Barry Dickins' Reservoir by Night, and in Shirley Gee's Never in My Lifetime, opposite Kevin Harrington.

Andrewartha continued working with the Melbourne Theatre Company on several productions, including a role in the Australian outing of Tom & Viv. For her portrayal of the role, Andrewartha won a leading actress accolade at the 1987 Green Room Awards. In 1988, she took the role of Great Aunt Dinah in Tristram Shandy, and Joan in Dinkum Assorted.

In 1991, she played Sandra in another Melbourne Theatre Company production, Sunday Lunch; she also took the lead role of investigative journalist Jean in Michael Gurr's Sex Diary of an Infidel. During the 1992 season, Andrewartha played the lead role of Emilia in Othello. In 1993, she took a role playing barmaid Breda in A Happy and Holy Occasion and later played Lisa in The Garden of Granddaughters. Andrewartha played Caroline in another play by Gurr, titled Underwear, Perfume and Crash Helmet, which debuted in 1994. In the 1995 season she took the role of Mary Margaret in Good Works. Her 1997 theatre roles included a part in the Sydney Theatre Company collaboration Jerusalem, and Isola in Navigating. In 1998, she secured the role in Hotel Sorrento, and she later played Liz in Rising Fish Prayer. That year, Andrewartha also directed a theatre production titled Neon Angel.

Television Although Andrewartha had an extensive career in theatre, she starting appearing in television roles in the early 1980s, with a role in court drama Carson's Law. From 1990 until 1991, she appeared in drama serial Embassy as Marion Stewart, the strong wife of an Australian ambassador. For her role of Marion, she was nominated an Australian Film Institute Award for "Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Television Drama" at the 1991 Australian Film Institute Awards. Despite her success, Andrewartha was not asked to return for the show's last series, and she resumed her work with the Melbourne Theatre Company.

She became known internationally for her television role in the drama series Prisoner, joining the cast in 1984 as rebellious biker Rebecca "Reb" Kean. Her character was written out of the series, after Andrewartha decided not to renew her contract and return to the stage. She reprised the role in June 1985.

In 1999, Andrewartha joined the cast of the soap opera Neighbours, playing the role of Lyn Scully. Andrewartha left the show in 2006, and immediately resumed working in theatre. In 2007, Andrewartha took a hiatus from acting while she helped care for her ill mother, until her death in January 2008. She also used the time off to help her daughter with her education. She later returned to Neighbours for a guest role in 2008, and once again in 2009, and remained with Neighbours for another two years. In 2011, Andrewartha decided to leave the series once again. She stated that she was only supposed to return in a guest role and ended up staying on. Andrewartha chose to leave to pursue other acting roles. The actress later reprised the role for further guest roles in 2016, 2017 and 2019.

In 2017, Andrewartha joined the cast of Seven Types of Ambiguity in the recurring role of Kathleen. Her most recent roles were in 2023 in the SBS drama miniseries Safe Home as Diana, and her last role was in 2024 Paramount+ thriller Fake as Kath Tovey.

Death and tributes Andrewartha died in her sleep in Melbourne, Australia on 26 July 2024 at the age of 72, within three months of receiving a cancer diagnosis.

Neighbours co-star and friend Jackie Woodburne paid tribute, saying she "was one of the finest actors of a generation. I will miss her every day". Stefan Dennis, Jason Herbison, Holly Valance and Carla Bonner who portrayed two of her on-screen daughters also paid tribute, as did casting director Jan Russ, Jane Hall and Lucinda Cowden.

Stefan Dennis said he was "so very upset to lose the lovely Janet. She truly was an exceptional actress who was a pleasure to work with and to be around. We will all miss you, dear girl."

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes 1987 Ground Zero New neighbour Feature film 1995 Sticktoitiveness Short film 1998 Amy Singing receptionist Feature film Ruthven The Bride

Television Year Title Role Notes 1979 Patrol Boat Uncredited TV series, guest role 1983 Carson's Law Phoebe King TV series, 1 episode 1983 Home Bellamy TV series, 1 episode 1984–1985 Prisoner Reb Kean TV series, 94 episodes 1989 This Man... This Woman Pat TV miniseries, 1 episode 1990–1991 Embassy Marion Stewart TV series, 25 episodes 1991; 1993 A Country Practice Lisa Davis TV series, 2 episodes 1995 Janus Anna TV series, 1 episode 1994–1995 Blue Heelers Det. Bridget Ryan TV series, 2 episodes 1997 State Coroner Eileen Hardy TV series, 1 episode 1998 Moby Dick Ahab's wife (uncredited) TV miniseries, episode 1 1999–2006, 2008–2011,2016–2017, 2019 Neighbours Lyn Scully TV series, 1059 episodes 2017 Seven Types of Ambiguity Kathleen TV miniseries, 4 episodes 2021 Harrow Mrs Peek TV series, 1 episode 2023 Safe Home Diana Thompson TV miniseries, 4 episodes 2024 Fake Kath Tovey TV series: 1 episode (final role)

Stage

As performer Year Title Role Notes 1981–1982 Singin' in the Raid Forfeit Fondue Theatre, National Theatre, Melbourne; Solo cabaret show Once a Catholic Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC) 1983 Ticka-Tocka-Linga Victorian regional tour with Victorian State Opera & St Kilda Festival Love Letters Melissa Gardner Victorian Arts Centre 1983 Framework Iris Universal Theatre, Melbourne 1983 Lysistrata Mhyrrine Stork Theatre for Epidavros Summer Festival 1984 The Threepenny Opera Christine Mahoney / Polly Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 1984 Pax Americana The Ideal Woman / various roles Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 1984 The Curse of the Werewolf Various roles Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 1985 Visions The Maid Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1985 Reservoir by Night Lead female Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1985 Never in My Lifetime Tessie Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1985 Breaking the Silence Polya Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1986 Tom & Viv Vivienne Haigh-Wood Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1986 Dead to the World Rosa Hernandez Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1987 The Three Musketeers Mde Bonacueu / various roles Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 1987 A Soldier's Tale Narrator Victorian Arts Centre 1988 Tristram Shandy – Gent Great Auntie Dinah / Bridget / Goody Coddling / German scholar Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1988 Dinkum Assorted Joan Sydney Opera House with & STC & Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 1991 Miss Saigon Theatre Royal Drury Lane with Cameron Mackintosh 1991 Sunday Lunch Sandra Van Der Vera Russell Street Theatre, Melbourne with MTC 1992 Othello Emilia Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 1992 Sex Diary of an Infidel Jean Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company 1993 A Happy and Holy Occasion Breda Mulcahy Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company 1993 The Garden of Granddaughters Lisa Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Her Majesty’s Theatre, Ballarat, Ford Theatre, Geelong, Monash University, Wharf Theatre, Sydney with Playbox Theatre Company & STC 1994 Underwear, Perfume and Crash Helmet Caroline Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company 1995 Good Works Mary Margaret Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company 1997 Jerusalem Jocelyn / Maureen Wharf Theatre with STC & Playbox Theatre Company 1997 Navigating Isola Suncorp Piazza, Brisbane with Queensland Theatre & Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC 1998 Hotel Sorrento Hilary Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with HIT Productions 1998 Rising Fish Prayer Liz Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne, Glen Street Theatre with Playbox Theatre Company 2004 Honour Honor Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC 2007 All My Sons Kate Keller Playhouse, Melbourne with MTC 2012 Music Margie Fairfax Studio, Melbourne with MTC 2013 Other Desert Cities Polly Wyeth Playhouse, Brisbane with Black Swan State Theatre Company & Queensland Theatre

As director Year Title Role Notes 1996 Burning Time Assistant Director Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne with Playbox Theatre Company & Black Swan State Theatre Company Our Country’s Good Director National Theatre Drama School Don’s Party Director National Theatre Drama School

References

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