Issue 2 Winter 2008 (6.3 MB) - Blundell's School

OGOODUR C OUNTRY’ SSeth Richards Year 12In November the Ondaatje Theatre Company put on a production of OurCountry’s Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker, a challenging play set in the newlyestablished convict colony of New South Wales. As the school’s majorproduction for the year there were high standards to be metRobin Hill led the cast of officers attempting to discipline and civilise the convicts, many ofwhom had committed tiny thefts. Brutalised by the harsh treatment of the officers and aneight month journey in intolerable conditions on a convict ship, the last thing one wouldhave expected of the convicts was to put on a play, yet this is precisely what they did.Under the auspices of an enlightened governor, Captain Arthur Phillip (William Pettit), theconvicts put on the first production to be performed on Australian soil, George Farquhar’s“Recruiting Officer”.The play is based on fact and one of the convicts was Devonian heroine, Mary Bryant(played by Lizzy Clark), who escaped the colony and sailed all the way to the East Indies.She was eventually returned to England where she was given a reprieve and allowed toreturn to her beloved Bigbury Bay.This was a challenging play for a young cast, but all excelled themselves and in turnmoved, amused and even shocked their audience. The production was visually stunning.Set, designed by Malcolm Thackwray, and lighting by Roger Winwood set the mood ofthe claustrophobic hold of a convict ship, the barren landscape of Australia and the plushinterior of the officers’ mess. It will be along time before the audience forgets theharrowing scenes of a convict being flogged by the sadistic Major Ross (Theo Weedon) orHarry Brewer’s (Jack Eadie) descent into madness. Thankfully, the play ends on a positivenote with the convicts staging their production and with Lieutenant Ralph Clark falling inlove with one of the convicts Mary Brenham (Louise Gillespie).Just as the convicts needed an inspirational director in the form of Ralph Clark so too didthe Blundell’s cast. Fiona Baddeley managed to inspire and cajole the young cast to greatheights and after months of rehearsals managed to pull off a very complex show whichleft the audience in no doubt of the value and power of theatre.10