| Marj Brasch | |||||||||||||||||
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| Shortland Street character | |||||||||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Elizabeth McRae | ||||||||||||||||
| Created by | Bettina Hollings | ||||||||||||||||
| Introduced by | Caterina De Nave (1992) Simon Bennett (1998) Harriet Crampton (2002) |
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| Duration | 1992–96, 1998, 2002 | ||||||||||||||||
| First appearance | 25 May 1992 episode 1 |
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| Last appearance | 14 September 2002 episode 2591 |
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| Classification | Former; regular | ||||||||||||||||
| Book appearances | Marj's Story - Shortland Street Books (1996) | ||||||||||||||||
| Profile | |||||||||||||||||
| Alias | Marj Neilson (Married name) | ||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Member of New Zealand Parliament for Ferndale (1996—) Receptionist at Shortland Street (1989–96) |
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Marjorie "Marj" Brasch (previously Neilson) is a fictional character on the New Zealand soap opera Shortland Street. Being part of the original cast, she was portrayed by Elizabeth McRae from the show's first season in 1992 up until 1996. She returned as a guest character in both 1998 and 2002. She has since become iconic as the first ever receptionist.
Matriarch of the original family unit, the Neilsons, Marj often found herself fighting for her family and religious beliefs. The character had four sons, Patrick (Uncredited), Damien (Mark Ferguson), the villainous Darryl (Mark Ferguson) and Stuart (Martin Henderson), alongside a daughter Jane (Katherine McRae). Originally married to Tom (Adrian Keeling), Marj soon became a widow and married boyfriend Laurie Brasch (Chic Littlewood) before leaving the show in 1996, to become a politician. She returned in 1998 and hired best friend Jenny (Maggie Harper) as her personal assistant before briefly returning in 2002 to attend good friend Nick's (Karl Burnett) wedding.
The character was used largely for comedic scenes but as she developed, she was also used for dramatic effect, with numerous storylines being fronted by Marj. She was hugely popular and iconic, being named as the most iconic character to feature on the soap of all time.
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One of the goals of creating Shortland Street, was to have strong powerful women as primary characters to counter stereotype the weak and vulnerable women often portrayed in dramas.[1] Marj was created as one of the characters to fulfill this role.[1] Marj's portrayer, Elizabeth McRae, quit the role in 1996 and producers decided to write her out in a storyline where she became a politician.[2] They saw this as a fun and unusual write out for a deserving fan favourite character.[2] Marj returned in both 1998 and 2002 in guest roles.[3]
The receptionist behind the desk at Shortland Street since its opening in 1989, Marj was shown to be heavily involved with the clinic, with loving husband Tom (Adrian Keeling) working as a paramedic. Marj was shocked when she learnt son Stuart (Martin Henderson) may have fathered a child, but was relieved when she learned otherwise. In late 1992, Marj's illegitimate daughter Jane (Katherine McRae) who she adopted out at birth, made contact, infuriating Tom.
The presence of Jane led Tom to run away from the marriage in 1993, deeply upsetting Marj who sold the house and soon started to date Jewish policeman Laurie (Chic Littlewood). Marj got several leads on Tom's disappearance but found nothing. Tom eventually showed up in November and received a kidney from son Darryl (Mark Ferguson), but died from a heart attack shortly afterwards. Marj reunited with Laurie.
In 1994 Marj nearly died at the hands of Laurie, when he accidentally exposed her to dangerous chemicals. The two got over the small bump and later marry. In 1995 the two became foster parents to Stuart's friend Lulu (Meighan Desmond) and Marj was devastated when Darryl died in a drowning accident.
In 1996 Marj, bored of her job at Shortland Street applied for a job in Parliament. To her surprise she got it. She and Laurie moved to Wellington and she was welcomed to The Beehive by future prime ministers Helen Clark and Jenny Shipley. In 1998 Jenny (Maggie Harper), unhappy with the health system, was pleased to see Marj visiting Ferndale. Marj offered Jenny a position as her Personal Assistant to which Jenny accepted and moved down to Wellington.
Marj returned in 2002 alongside Jenny, when they attended Nick's (Karl Burnett) wedding to Waverley (Claire Chitham). Marj was shocked when Jenny retired and she offered Rachel McKenna (Angela Bloomfield) the job, to which Rachel declined. Marj left shortly thereafter. In 2003 Marj helped secure Rachel a job in the health sector of the government.
Instantly upon introduction, Marj is shown to be a stern Catholic mother busybody, who loves to gossip and cares deeply for her family. She has been described as "bossy, opinionated, a terrible gossip. She was everyone's favourite Aunt, with the flapping mouth and the big heart."[4] The character does not mind saying what she thinks, including in 1992 when she is openly hostile towards Jaki Manu who she fears has AIDS. McRae enjoyed the characterisation but acknowledged Marj had her flaws, stating; "She stands up for family and is quite perceptive and forgiving. Her Achilles heel is that she can't resist butting in and telling people what they should think or feel."[1]
Marj was primary comic relief in her initial storylines, so writers decided to introduce drama to the character so that the audience could connect and to further develop the character.[5][6] This included the storyline where husband Tom went missing[5][6] and the introduction of Marj's menacing anatagonistic son, Darryl.[5][7] McRae particularly enjoyed acting the comedy scenes, saying: "I really enjoy playing the comedy where Marj gets a bit of authority and goes bananas bossing everyone around."[1]
To honour the shows 10th anniversary in May 2002, Michelle Hewitson of The New Zealand Herald voted Marj as the best character to ever appear on the show noting her multiple levels of characterisation and interesting storylines.[4] A reviewer in 1992 enjoyed the character, saying the reception desk was; "about the only place where the makers of Shortland Street have got it right".[4]
Viewers initially did not warm to the Marj character, but after the character was written to have "a bit of comedy and a bit of warmth", she instantly became a fan favourite.[4] McRae understood why viewers related to Marj so well, stating; "I think that Marj is possibly Mrs Middle New Zealand; I think people identify with her as being just like their next door neighbour or an aunty. I suppose she could become a sort of Kiwi icon."[1] She later went on to state that playing Marj was a highlight of her 50 year long career, saying; "It was quite a privilege to be in that initial cast because it was a breakthrough that there was at last a New Zealand soap opera that wasn't full of Australians or Americans or English."[8]
Following the success of Marj's characterization in the original cast, the character became iconic and a archetype for later characters to come.[9][10] Her motherly nature alongside her occupation and love of gossip, saw the character followed by numerous other similar characters that were equally as popular, including; Moira, Babara and Yvonne.[11] When Amelia Reid was cast in the role of Bella Cooper in 2010, she compared her relationship with Yvonne Jeffries to that of the iconic Marj and Waverleys.[12]
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