Hating Alison Ashley, adapted from Robin Klein’s award-winning and much-loved coming-of-age novel, is the story of two very different girls and how they find friendship, in spite of the differences between them.
Meet fourteen-year-old Erica Yurken (Saskia Burmeister) – or “Yuk”, as she’s more commonly known. She’s determined to prove that she’s somehow better than her classmates at Barringa East High; a disadvantaged school in a working class suburb.
To make matters worse, she’s in 9c – the worst class in the school! Is it any wonder Yuk spends most of her time hiding in the school sickbay?
Things aren’t much better at home, either. Yuk’s house is always in a state of chaos, and she shares a room with a little sister who’s convinced she’s really a horse. Her older brother is trying to contact aliens and her oldest sister is always angry at her about something. And, to Yuk’s utter dismay, her mum has just let her boyfriend Lennie, the gap-toothed truck driver, move in!
Faced with the lonely boredom of her life, Yuk daydreams of a better existence in nearby well-to-do suburb, Barringa Heights. She’s also obsessed with being a famous movie star, and can’t wait for the opportunity to make her acting debut so she can finally escape from Barringa East and her totally embarrassing family…for good!
Yuk’s life brightens just a little with the arrival of 9c’s latest teacher, Miss Belmont. Her ultra-strict approach to teaching tames the unruly 9c and, finally, Yuk feels that she’s beginning to really shine…
That is, until Alison Ashley (Delta Goodrem) shows up and ruins all of Yuk’s plans! 9c’s newest student is perfect in every way – intelligent, stunningly beautiful and very, very rich. And, she’s from Barringa Heights…
At first, Yuk is enchanted by Alison, and tries to be her friend. But Yuk’s friendship gradually turns to jealousy when she realises just how perfect Alison Ashley really is! However hard Yuk tries, she always comes second to Alison Ashley!
But, luckily for Yuk, school camp is coming up, along with the chance for her to finally show everyone what a great actress she really is! 9c have been chosen to put on a play for Camp Drama Night, and Yuk’s spent months learning all the lines for Romeo and Juliet… starring herself as Juliet, naturally.
However, on the first night of camp, the teachers announce that Romeo and Juliet has been cancelled, and that 9c are going to write and perform their own, original play! Yuk is devastated! She knows every line!
She recovers by volunteering to write and direct the entire play, casting herself in the lead role.
But, during rehearsals, Yuk discovers that she has stage fright! There’s no way she can star in the play now! Yuk appoints Alison Ashley as her understudy…but Alison surprises everyone when she turns out to be a brilliant actress, and the lead role is given to her instead!
Yuk’s rivalry with Alison Ashley becomes more and more intense, until, leading up to the final performance of her play, Yuk begins to realise that maybe Alison Ashley’s life isn’t as perfect as it seems…
