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Our Country's Good

Review

It’s rare to find a play that convinces you of the power of theatre simply by showing a cast staging its first productions. Our Country’s Good, however, manages precisely that feat. It takes the story of the first convicts to reach Australia in 1788 and focuses on the near impossible dream of one second lieutenant to mould a piece of theatre from a rag-bag group of petty criminals. Among his problems are the imminent death of one of his cast and the opposition of superiors in the Royal Marines.

Timberlake Wertembaker’s moving script manages to show how those at the bottom of the scrapheap can be given confidence and self-esteem by being valued as cast members.

HumDrum AmDram’s production doesn’t disappoint. The fact that the play has 22 scenes and 22 characters inevitably makes it a little disjointed, but director Chris Wood uses a simple set and the minimum of props to keep the action flowing as quickly as possible.

Jonathan Fost brings an impressive warmth and naturalism to the part of Ralph Clark – the marine who directs the play – but loses some lines by speaking too fast.

James George is in commanding form as the governor of the colony, and Simon Ware is convincing both as an Irish hangman and the Scottish major who tries to stop the play.

Caz Reeves is delightfully coy as convict Mary Brenham, while Lisa Keld and Jane wood’s no-nonsense characters could both easily grace Prisoner: Cell Block H. Others also show an impressive range as they play two or even three parts – often in quick succession.

If there is a criticism it is that the rich humour in the play – notably the prisoners’ misunderstandings about theatre – is not always fully developed. Overall, though, this is excellent, uplifting stuff.

 

Mike Allen – Portsmouth News – Tuesday 8 February 2000