A SAMUEL FRENCH, LTD. TITLE

Our Country's Good

Full-Length Play, Drama  /  5w, 17m

Thomas Keneally, Timberlake Wertenbaker

This adaptation was performed at The Royal Court Theatre in 1988 and 1989 to critical acclaim. Set in Botany Bay in 1789 it tells of the rehearsals for the first play to be performed in Australia. Surrounded by forbidding conditions Lieutenant Clark …

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Our Country's Good

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    5w, 17m
  • Duration
    Duration
    More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Adaptation (Literature), Period
Accolades
Accolades

  • Winner! 1988 Olivier Award for Best Play
    Winner! 1988 Evening Standard Theatre Award for Most Promising Playwright
    Winner! 1991 New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best New Foriegn Play

Details

Summary

This adaptation was performed at The Royal Court Theatre in 1988 and 1989 to critical acclaim. Set in Botany Bay in 1789 it tells of the rehearsals for the first play to be performed in Australia. Surrounded by forbidding conditions Lieutenant Clark attempts, under the authority of the first Governor General, to bring culture to the penal colony through a production of Farquhar's The Recruiting Officer, with a motley bunch of villains, murderers and prostitutes.

Cast Attributes
Keywords

THE OFFICERS:

Captain Arthur Phillip RN — Governor-in-chief of New South Wales

Major Robbie Ross MR

Captain David Collins MR — Advocate General

Captain Watkin Tench MR

Captain Jeremy Campbell MR

Reverend Johnson

Lieutenant George Johnston MR

Lieutenant Will Dawes MR

Second Lieutenant Ralph Clark MR

Second Lieutenant William Faddy MR

Midshipman Harry Brewer RN

RN: Royal Navy; MR: Marine Regiment

Killara

THE CONVICTS:

John Arscott

Mary Brenham

Dabby Bryant

John Caesar (aka Black Caesar)

Ketch Freeman

Meg Long

Liz Morden

Robert Sideway

Ann Smith (aka Duckling Smith)

John Wisehammer

  • Time Period 18th Century
  • Setting

    Various interior and exterior settings

  • Duration More than 120 minutes (2 hours)

Media

“Couldn’t be timelier.” — Broadway World

“This stirring play about the power of theatre has never been more potent.” — London Theatre

“Gripping, fiercely intellectual drama.” — The Stage

“Our Country’s Good without doubt remains ground-breaking.” — Theatre Weekly

“A really rich play.” — TimeOut

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £85 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

    Please submit a license request to determine availability.

Authors

Author
Timberlake Wertenbaker

Timberlake Wertenbaker

Timberlake Wertenbaker grew up in the Basque country and lives in London. She is one of the UK’s leading playwrights and her work is performed worldwide. She is the recipient of numerous awards including an Olivier Award and the New York Drama Critics Award for Our Country's ...

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