Our Country's Good - October 2009
Directed by Barry Shyvers and Sarah Truelove
Stage Manager - Stuart Clark
Produced by Andrea Butler
Play Summary
Our Country's Good is the story of convicts and Royal Marines sent to Australia in the late 1780’s as part of the first penal colony there. It follows Second Lieutenant Ralph Clark's attempts to put on a production of George Farquhar's restoration comedy “The Recruiting Officer” with a cast of male and female convicts. The play shows the class system in the convict camp and discusses themes such as sexuality, punishment, the Georgian judicial system and the idea that art can act as an ennobling force.
As part of their research, Stafford-Clark and Wertenbaker went to see a play performed by convicts at Wormwood Scrubs, which proved very inspiring: "…in prison conditions, theatre can be hugely heartening and influential and indeed in prison your options are so limited you can become a born-again Christian, a gym-queen constantly working out, a bird watcher or you become passionate about theatre.”
The convicts were, at least momentarily, civilised human beings, and they had taken their work very seriously. The convicts knew their lines absolutely because they had nothing else to do and they didn't want to waste time with pleasantries as soon as you came into the room they started rehearsing. The two hours were very intense because the time was so valuable and we saw immediately how doing a play could become absolutely absorbing if you were incarcerated.
Most of the characters in the play are based on real people who sailed with the First Fleet, though some have had their names changed. Wertenbaker was able to read the journals of First Fleet members in order to portray them accurately.
Cast
Kate Awcock Captain Watkin Tench
Kate Awcock Shitty Meg
Alice Burrell Mary Brenham
Adam Hardy Judge David Collins
Adam Hardy John Sideway
Simon Kerr-Davis Ralph Clark
Kate Organ Dabby Bryant
Kate Organ 2nd Lt William Faddy
Alan Powell Harry Brewer
Alan Powell John Arscott
Alan Powell Jeremy Campbell
Barry Shyvers Robbie Ross
Barry Shyvers Ketch Freeman
Amelia Simmons Lt George Johnston
Amelia Simmons Duckling Smith
Becky Syms Reverend Johnson
Becky Syms Liz Morden
Chris Walton-Turner John Wisehammer
Chris Walton-Turner Governor Arthur Phillip
Off Stage
Caroline Brackley Prompt
Andrea Butler Producer
Nigel Cassford Lighting
Stuart Clark Stage Manager
Gillian Earle Programme design
Helen Gallifant Costumes
James Gallifant Box Office
John Greenyer Properties
Roger Mandera Stage Gaffer
Owen Miller Sound
Barry Shyvers Director
Charles Truelove Stage Gaffer
Sarah Truelove Lighting
Sarah Truelove Assistant Director
Ros Williams Publicity
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