Our Country’s Good (Timberlake Wertenbaker)

This section explores the play Our Country’s Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker, focusing on: the structure, setting, staging, characters, themes and the historical and cultural context of the play. Our Country's Good is a 1988 play by Timberlake Wertenbaker. The play is based on the true story of the first production of The Recruiting Officer, a comedy by George Farquhar, performed by a group of convicts in the first Australian penal colony in 1789. It explores themes of civilisation, justice, the role of theatre, and human resilience.

Structure

The play is structured into two acts and consists of a series of interconnected scenes. The narrative alternates between the staging of the play The Recruiting Officer by the convicts and the interactions between the convicts and their British officers, highlighting the contrasts between their lives and aspirations.

• Act One: Focuses on the convicts being prepared to perform the play. It introduces the key characters and the tensions between the officers and convicts, setting the stage for the exploration of social class, power, and the potential for transformation through theatre.
• Act Two: Revolves around the completion of the production of The Recruiting Officer, examining the consequences of the performance and the personal growth of the convicts, and the conflict between individual desires and social expectations.

The play’s episodic structure allows for a layered exploration of themes like redemption, power dynamics, and human transformation.

Setting

• The play is set in late 18th-century Australia, specifically in a British penal colony. The historical context of the First Fleet's arrival in Australia provides the backdrop, with the play taking place shortly after the convicts’ arrival in 1788.
• Physical setting: The play alternates between the makeshift, harsh reality of the penal colony (where conditions are brutal and life is governed by survival) and the more reflective space of the theatre, where the convicts' production of The Recruiting Officer takes place. The latter setting contrasts the oppressive environment of the penal colony with the possibility of transformation through art.
• Time period: The play occurs during the early years of the colony, a time when Britain was shipping convicts to Australia as part of its penal system.

Staging

• The use of multiple spaces within the play is key. The staging incorporates elements of the real-world setting (the harsh, crude environment of the penal colony) and the artificial, theatrical space created for the performance of The Recruiting Officer.

    The set design contrasts these two spaces:

• The penal colony is portrayed as bleak, with minimal props to reflect the prisoners’ harsh reality.
• The theatre space represents the convicts’ escape from their suffering through art and imagination, symbolising hope and a sense of self-worth.
• Minimalist staging is often employed, with the use of few props, to emphasise the barrenness of the convict’s world. The staging of The Recruiting Officer within the play is also stylised and symbolic, showing how theatre provides a space for the convicts to express themselves and explore their own identities.

Movement and physicality are important, with the convicts’ performances requiring a level of discipline and skill that contrasts with their usual existence, highlighting the tension between their past criminal lives and their new roles as performers.

Historical and Cultural Context

• Historical Context: The play is set in the late 18th century, during the early days of the British penal colony in Australia. It explores the lives of convicts transported from Britain to Australia, and how they navigated the brutal and oppressive conditions of the penal system. The focus on British colonialism and the treatment of convicts raises questions about class, social order, and justice.
• Cultural Context: The play examines the role of theatre as a form of escape and personal transformation, and the transformative potential of performance in a harsh and restrictive environment. The convicts' ability to act in The Recruiting Officer is a symbol of their attempt to regain a sense of humanity and self-respect, challenging their criminal pasts and asserting their agency in an environment that sees them as mere property.
• The play also reflects issues of gender and class. Female convicts, often disregarded or invisible in history, are given voice through the play, as some of the key roles in the production are played by women. This reflects the feminist lens of Wertenbaker’s writing, which examines the roles of women in society and their agency.

Characters

• Liz Morden: A convict who plays a key role in the production of The Recruiting Officer. Initially a hardened criminal, Liz undergoes significant personal development through the experience of acting, revealing the transformative power of theatre. Her character is central to the theme of redemption.
• John Wisehammer: A convict who is an aspiring actor. His character contrasts the rough convict life with a passion for the theatre. He represents the potential for artistic expression and self-actualisation.
• Dabby Bryant: A convict who is given a leading role in the play. Her story highlights themes of survival, personal growth, and how theatre offers a means of asserting identity.
• Major Ross: A British officer who is initially sceptical of the convicts' ability to perform, but later becomes a supportive figure. His character embodies the tension between authority and the emerging value of the convicts' actions.
• Lieutenant Clark: Another British officer who recognises the value of the theatre project and sees it as a way to introduce order and discipline to the convicts. He provides a counterpoint to Major Ross’s more cynical attitude.
• Governor Phillip: The British governor who oversees the penal colony. He represents the colonial authority, but also displays a sense of idealism, seeing the potential for rehabilitation through the theatre project.

Themes

• Redemption and Transformation: A central theme is the possibility of change and redemption, particularly through the medium of theatre. The play shows that even those who have committed serious crimes can undergo personal growth and transformation. The convicts find new identities through their involvement in the play, allowing them to escape, however briefly, the brutal realities of their lives.
• Power and Authority: The play explores the dynamics between the convicts and British officers, focusing on how power is wielded and resisted. It reveals the complexity of authority, with both groups attempting to assert control over the other in various ways.
• Human Dignity: The convicts’ involvement in theatre is a means for them to assert their humanity, despite the brutal and dehumanising conditions they live under. The play underscores the idea that art, particularly theatre, can be a powerful tool in reclaiming self-worth and dignity.
• The Role of Theatre: A key theme is the transformative power of theatre. Through the convicts’ involvement in the play, Wertenbaker explores how performance can provide a space for personal expression, escape, and the possibility of a new life. The play reflects on the cathartic and redemptive potential of art.
• Class and Social Hierarchy: The play also explores class differences, particularly the rigid social hierarchy within the penal colony. It critiques the British class system and reflects on the idea of social mobility, especially through the characters’ evolving relationship with theatre.
• Gender: Gender roles are examined through the female convicts, some of whom take on prominent roles in the production of The Recruiting Officer. The play highlights the complexities of female agency in a patriarchal society.

Summary

Our Country’s Good is a powerful exploration of the human condition, focusing on the potential for personal transformation in the most oppressive and dehumanising of circumstances. Through the convicts' engagement with theatre, the play raises significant questions about power, redemption, identity, and the role of art in society. The historical context of 18th-century Britain and its penal system provides a rich backdrop for these themes, making the play a poignant reflection on social justice and the capacity for change.