Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left
Encyclopedia
Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn Left is a 1985 novel by Australian children's author Robin Klein
which also became a children's television series
.
The story focuses on an alien
family who seek refuge on Earth
, in the small town of Bellwood. Klein also wrote a sequel novel called Turn Right for Zyrgon.
The family also includes Mother, who would rather design clothing and leave all worries to her daughter X. The oldest sister Dovis is a cosmic flier who writes poetry and levitates. The youngest is a boy genius, Qwrk who is a professor at age 5.
X is the lead character: a stressed girl who has to balance between strange Earth customs such as school and her duty to take care of her family.
Zyrgonians have special powers such as levitation, simulations
, and kinetics. They love gambling and live on an ultra-modern and dystopia
n planetoid.
and aired on CITV
in The UK and also in other parts of Europe
and there are many fansites. The series is not available on DVD, though in the early 1990s several episodes were released on VHS
in the UK
. These can often be found for sale on eBay
.
The TV-show had 28 episodes, split into 2 story arcs. The first story arc stayed close to the novel, the second arc had new stories written, some of which would end up incorporated into the sequel novel, Turn Right for Zyrgon.
The entire series was filmed in Melbourne
, Australia
. Zyrgon, and the family home interior were shot on the Crawford Productions sound-stage. The town of Bellwood was shot in Williamstown
. The family home exterior is located in Surrey Hills
. The props for the space raft and other sets were kept in the Crawford Productions lot for a couple of years following production, however, they were eventually dismantled and destroyed.
The series was repeated in the UK between 2007-2008 on a digital children's channel.
Robin Klein
Robin McMaugh Klein is an Australian author of books for children. She was born 28 February 1936, in Kempsey, New South Wales and now resides near Melbourne.-Early life:...
which also became a children's television series
Children's television series
Children's television series, are commercial television programs designed for, and marketed to children, normally scheduled for broadcast during the morning and afternoon when children are awake. They can sometimes run in the early evening, for the children that go to school...
.
The story focuses on an alien
Extraterrestrial life
Extraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
family who seek refuge on Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
, in the small town of Bellwood. Klein also wrote a sequel novel called Turn Right for Zyrgon.
Plot summary
The novel tells the tale of the planet Zyrgon, ruled by the galactic police called The Law-Enforcers. They are after Mortimer, who has cheated the government lottery for the 27th time in a row. His family is governed by the youngest daughter, 12-year old X, who wants to save her father from the detention centre.The family also includes Mother, who would rather design clothing and leave all worries to her daughter X. The oldest sister Dovis is a cosmic flier who writes poetry and levitates. The youngest is a boy genius, Qwrk who is a professor at age 5.
X is the lead character: a stressed girl who has to balance between strange Earth customs such as school and her duty to take care of her family.
Zyrgonians have special powers such as levitation, simulations
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
, and kinetics. They love gambling and live on an ultra-modern and dystopia
Dystopia
A dystopia is the idea of a society in a repressive and controlled state, often under the guise of being utopian, as characterized in books like Brave New World and Nineteen Eighty-Four...
n planetoid.
Major themes
The novel's theme is children who are forced to grow up too soon and to take responsibilities that are too much for their age. In the novel, X cannot handle the stress and gets very ill, but she is cured in the end when she finally finds her place on the new planet.Television series
The story was made into a television series in 1991-1992. It was very popular in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and aired on CITV
CITV
CITV is a British television channel from ITV Digital Channels Ltd, a division of ITV plc. It broadcasts content from the CITV archive, as well as commissions and acquisitions. CITV itself is the programming block on the main ITV Network .The CITV channel broadcasts from 06:00 to 18:00...
in The UK and also in other parts of Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and there are many fansites. The series is not available on DVD, though in the early 1990s several episodes were released on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. These can often be found for sale on eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
.
The TV-show had 28 episodes, split into 2 story arcs. The first story arc stayed close to the novel, the second arc had new stories written, some of which would end up incorporated into the sequel novel, Turn Right for Zyrgon.
The entire series was filmed in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. Zyrgon, and the family home interior were shot on the Crawford Productions sound-stage. The town of Bellwood was shot in Williamstown
Williamstown, Victoria
Williamstown is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south-west from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hobsons Bay. At the 2006 Census, Williamstown had a population of 12,733....
. The family home exterior is located in Surrey Hills
Surrey Hills, Victoria
Surrey Hills is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 12 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area lies within the cities of Boroondara and Whitehorse...
. The props for the space raft and other sets were kept in the Crawford Productions lot for a couple of years following production, however, they were eventually dismantled and destroyed.
The series was repeated in the UK between 2007-2008 on a digital children's channel.
Cast
- Lauren HewettLauren HewettLauren Hewett is an Australian actress best known for her role in Ocean Girl as Mera, and also for her role as Lara Ritchie in Echo of Thunder...
as X - Kellie Smythe as Jenny
- Che Broadbent as Colin
- Jeffrey WalkerJeffrey Walker (actor)Jeffrey Walker was an Australian child actor best known for his appearances in Ocean Girl and Round the Twist. He is currently a director of Australia's soaps Neighbours and Home and Away, and H2O: Just Add Water.-Career:Walker's first acting credit was a small role in The Flying Doctors in 1989...
as Qwrk - Bruce MylesBruce MylesBruce Myles is an Australian actor and film director. He has appeared in 40 films and television shows since 1963. In 1987, along with Michael Pattinson, he co-directed the film Ground Zero. It was entered into the 38th Berlin International Film Festival.-Selected filmography:* Ground Zero * A Cry...
as Father - Jan Friedl as Mother
- Silvia Seidel as Dovis
- Bruce SpenceBruce SpenceBruce Spence, born September 17, 1945 is an actor, having spent most of his career performing in Australia. Bruce attended Henderson High School in West Auckland....
as The Chief - Kerry ArmstrongKerry ArmstrongKerry Michelle Armstrong is an Australian actress on film, television, and stage. She is one of only two actresses to win two Australian Film Institute Awards in the same year...
as Officer Jady - Paul Kelman as Lox
- Diane CilentoDiane CilentoDiane Cilento was an Australian theatre and film actress and author.-Biography:Cilento's parents, Sir Raphael Cilento and Lady Phyllis Cilento, were both distinguished medical practitioners....
as Principa/Authoritax - Sandy GoreSandy GoreSandy Gore is an Australian actress, renowned for her work in theatre. Was married to Director George Miller and had one daughter. Gore has worked extensively for Sydney Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company...
as Aunt Hecla