Our Country's Good
Written by Timberlake Wertenbaker
Directed by Sarah Lawrence
9 - 13 April 2024
KEY DATES
Auditions (held in the Morris Room):
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Saturday 16 December, 11:00am until 4:00pm
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Monday 18 December, 6:00pm until 9:00pm
All roles are being cast gender-blind, age-blind and race-blind, and we will be doubling roles.
NOTE:
There are two specifically non-white characters in the text, both in very small roles. It is the opinion of the director and the production manager that these roles are in need of updating. The play was written in the 1980s, and the representations of these characters reflect that time. We will be adjusting how we include these characters to avoid tokenism and stereotypes.
Callbacks (held in the Morris Room):
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TBC
Read-through (held in the Hall):
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TBC
Rehearsals:
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TBC
CONTACT US
If you’d like more info or find out how you can be involved, please get in touch with:
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Sarah Lawrence, Director, info@bananaduckcreative.com
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Miguel Garcia, Production Manager
Synopsis
26 January 1788: a fleet of ships carrying convicts and colonisers arrives in Botany Bay, Australia, to establish a penal colony on stolen land.
This play tells the extraordinary true story of a group of convicts and a young officer who rehearse and perform a play – Australia's first theatrical production. With opposition from the officers and a leading lady who may be hanged, the odds are stacked against them. This is a play about love, hate, redemption, and the transformative power of the arts.
Our Country’s Good was first published in 1988 and has been a curriculum mainstay ever since for creative subjects. This fresh new take weaves storytelling and music through the much-loved words by Timberlake Wertenbaker.
This production is going to be lively, musical, and creative in abundance.
The play in a nutshell:
Humanity, humility, society, irreverent, storytelling, thought-provoking
Characters
Roles denoted with an asterisk will be doubled with a larger role. However, if you'd like to be involved but could only commit to a tiny role, please speak to me!
Ralph Clark
Major Ross
Harry Brewer
Captain Phillip
Captain Campbell
John Arscott
Caesar
Ketch Freeman
Robert Sideway
John Wisehammer
Mary Brenham
Dabby Bryant
Liz Morden
Duckling Smith
*Meg Long
*Lieutenant George Johnston
*Rev Johnson
*Captain David Collins
*Second Lieutenant William Faddy
*Lieutenant Will Dawes
*Captain Watkin Tench (M25-35)