A SAMUEL FRENCH, LTD. TITLE

Our Country's Good

Full-Length Play, Drama  /  5w, 17m

Thomas Keneally, Timberlake Wertenbaker

Our Country's Good
by Timberlake Wertenbaker
Based on the novel The Playmaker by Thomas Keneally

This adaptation was performed at The Royal Court Theatre in 1988 and 1989 to critical acclaim. Set in Botany Bay in 1789 it tells of the rehearsals for the first play to be performed in Australia. Surrounded by forbidding conditions Lieutenant Clark …

Our Country's Good

Request licence
Get the Script
  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    5w, 17m
  • Duration
    Duration
    More than 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Adaptation (Literature), Period
Accolades
Accolades

  • Winner! 1988 Olivier Award for Best Play
    Winner! 1988 Evening Standard Theatre Award for Most Promising Playwright
    Winner! 1991 New York Drama Critics Circle Award for Best New Foriegn Play

Details

Summary
This adaptation was performed at The Royal Court Theatre in 1988 and 1989 to critical acclaim. Set in Botany Bay in 1789 it tells of the rehearsals for the first play to be performed in Australia. Surrounded by forbidding conditions Lieutenant Clark attempts, under the authority of the first Governor General, to bring culture to the penal colony through a production of Farquhar's The Recruiting Officer, with a motley bunch of villains, murderers and prostitutes.
History
Our Country's Good was premiered at the Royal Court Theatre, London in September 1988.
Keywords

THE OFFICERS:
Captain Arthur Phillip RN — Governor-in-chief of New South Wales
Major Robbie Ross MR
Captain David Collins MR — Advocate General
Captain Watkin Tench MR
Captain Jeremy Campbell MR
Reverend Johnson
Lieutenant George Johnston MR
Lieutenant Will Dawes MR
Second Lieutenant Ralph Clark MR
Second Lieutenant William Faddy MR
Midshipman Harry Brewer RN
RN: Royal Navy; MR: Marine Regiment

An Aboriginal Australian

THE CONVICTS:
John Arscott
Mary Brenham
Dabby Bryant
John Caesar (aka Black Caesar)
Ketch Freeman
Meg Long
Liz Morden
Robert Sideway
Ann Smith (aka Duckling Smith)
John Wisehammer

  • Time Period 18th Century
  • Setting Various interior and exterior settings
  • Duration More than 120 minutes (2 hours)

Media

“Couldn’t be timelier.” — Broadway World

“This stirring play about the power of theatre has never been more potent.” — London Theatre

“Gripping, fiercely intellectual drama.” — The Stage

“Our Country’s Good without doubt remains ground-breaking.” — Theatre Weekly

“A really rich play.” — TimeOut

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £85 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

    Please submit a license request to determine availability.

Scripts

Available Formats:
Get the Script

Authors

Author

Thomas Keneally

Timberlake Wertenbaker

Timberlake Wertenbaker

Timberlake Wertenbaker grew up in the Basque country and lives in London. She is one of the UK’s leading playwrights and her work is performed worldwide. She is the recipient of numerous awards including an Olivier Award and the New York Drama Critics Award for Our Country's ...

View full profile

Now Playing