Blood, sweat and tears, and that was just from Mr. Damian Todres, our Head of Drama. He has excelled himself in putting together this dynamic Senior School production of Our Country’s Good at the Athenaeum Theatre. The audience were firmly gripped from beginning to end.
Set in Australia in 1789, this is a story about convicts who are offered a temporary glimpse of humanity and culture through their participation in the production of a play. The convicts sent to Australia by the British government for various crimes (none of which are particularly heinous), are hardened and animalistic – or so they seem to the officers assigned to guard them. The benevolent, if diffident, Governor Arthur Phillip, (George Cochrane) thinks otherwise though, and supports his earnest, sympathetic and utterly likeable 2nd Lieutenant Ralph Clark, (Jon Scriven) in his decision to stage the production of George Farquhar’s comedy “The Recruiting Officer” starring the prisoners.
Some of the military officers are opposed to the production. Alex Carver, playing his first major role in a Senior School production is a convincing Major Robbie Ross; with his venomous presence on stage he is fiercely hostile about the play. Captain Jemmy Campbell, (Susie Joyce) brings some comic relief to the performance with her drunken antics and also in her hilarious cameo as Meg Long. As the story unfolds 2nd Lieutenant Clark becomes director of the play within the play. He now faces the daunting task of convincing his cast of mostly illiterate convicts to work together. To make matters worse, a few of them are accused of crimes and sentenced to whippings, trials and hangings during the course of rehearsals. Still the show goes on and Lieutenant Clark discovers more about himself than he bargained for thanks to an unexpected tryst with his vulnerable star Mary Brenham, beautifully played by Sophie Katon.
The doubling of various roles is intentionally ironic. Captain Collins and a flamboyant pickpocket Robert Sideways are both magnificently portrayed by Ryan Collins-Thomas. He imitates the excesses of period acting to perfection. Elliot Gross who plays Lieutenant George Johnston and Midshipman Harry Brewer was memorable as the guilt ridden sailor hopelessly enamoured by one of the convicts Duckling Smith (Abi Howarth). As Harry lies dying, her exclamations over the body are particularly moving.
Mention must also be made of other notable performances from this strong cast. Emily Cook demonstrated incredible ferocity in portraying the part of Liz Morden, an unpredictable convict. Her trial, with the nervous hangman Ketch Freeman, hilariously played by Matt Gregory, is a particularly tense and well acted sequence. The boisterous, consistently bullish and rude Dabby Bryant (Louise Judge) almost steals the show.
In addition to focused steering of his well-cast ensemble of 15, Damian Todres succeeds in evoking a palpable sense of urgency – there is never any doubt how much is at stake for these people. The performance is polished and technically flawless, offering accurate dialects and vibrant full-bodied characterisation. Ultimately, there is a sense of hope that something good may emerge from all this tragedy. The accomplished Tristan Head as the convict Wisehammer evokes these sentiments beautifully. The play ends as the convicts’ performance begins. Brilliant.
