Review: Theatre

Our Country’s Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker, dir Alastair Whatley, Emilly Bowker, Emma Gregory, Aiden Gillett, Chris Harper, The Rose Theatre, Kingston

Heavy-going. The play still sparkles and is as fresh now as it was when written in the 1980s. Yet this production is laboured and there are beats and nuances missing as it drives to its conclusion, particularly in the handling of the erratic Harry Brewer and his jealous preoccupation with his ‘she-lag’ Duckling Smith. Part of the problem is the entrances and exits and the width of The Rose stage; the episodic scenes need more defined, intimately-marked space to show the hugger-mugger existence of the convicts and officers; in this new outpost all are prisoners. Yet the central scene amongst the officers discussing the merits of theatre is still strong, as is the derisory note of a Sydney opera house; this is still deliciously sweet. Our Country’s Good uses a play within a play device, made all the more poignant as the events and most of the characters are historically accurate. The first convicts to arrive in Australia celebrate the King’s Birthday - George III, in 1789 - by putting on a play, The Recruiting Officer by George Farquahar. The play shows, particularly in the development of the character of Liz Morden - due to be hanged - just how important respect, freely given, is to the most low in spirits and circumstance, and how this can restore dignity and hope……