done and general facts. Mary’s lines are small and
shows she’s reserved. Liz Morden then appears and
wants Mary to help her with her lines. Dabby and Liz
obviously don’t get on well as they’re constantly
bickering. Mary tries to keep the peace and agrees
with both of them. But as soon as Ketch appears
and asks them what they’re doing, Dabby and
Liz both unite and turn against him, which shows
the audience how much of an outcast Ketch is.
Scene Nine: Ralph Clark tries to kiss his
Dear Wife’s pictures
- Ralph is waiting until 12 o clock to
kiss his beloved wife’s picture. He talks aloud to
her and reads small passages from the bible,
constantly looking at his watch. Ketch appears just
as Ralph appears to do so. Ketch comes to Ralph to
talk to him about the way he feels and about a part
in the play; he want to be an actor.
- Ralph reads bible passages aloud, and
conveys a very ritualistic type of behaviour. He
suggests to the audience that he ‘met a woman, with
the attire of an harlot, and subtle of heart’, meaning
Mary. He has feelings for Mary. He knows it’s
naughty but pleasing. Ralph constantly changes his
train of thought and gets mixed up. His strange
behaviour comes to a halt when Ketch walks in.
Ketch is a very shy and timid character, and this
is clearly shown in this scene. He admires Ralph
and desperately wants a part in the play. He doesn’t
like to be called ‘Ketch’, as it suggests a horrible
hangman’s name, which also suggests that he wants
everyone to like him. He is also frightened with how
the women will react to him, as he was brought up
very strictly.
Scene Ten: John Wisehammer and Mary Brenham
Exchange Words
- Mary Brenham is practising her lines on
the floor and reading them aloud as Wisehammer
comes in after hard labour. They discuss words, and
different types of words, generally getting to know
each other.
- From this scene, it’s obvious that the two
convicts are very intelligent, and they both want a
new start. In those days, it was rare to find people
who could both read and write. Wisehammer talks
about different types of words, and says how read a
dictionary. He mentions the word ‘Abject’, which
means a man without hope. This could suggest to
the audience he’s talking about himself. He
then mentions the word ‘anguish’, again, talking
about himself. Wisehammer seems to have much
experience and is quite opinionated. Mary then says
how she doesn’t like the word ‘shame’, which is also
reflective upon her and how she prostituted herself.
The scene ends on a high note, where they discuss
how they like words with one ‘L’, such as ‘love’ and
‘laughter’.
Scene Eleven: The First Rehearsal
- Most of the cast are together and Ralph
runs through a small introduction with the convicts
as to who’s playing what and with who etc. They begin
reading through lines aloud with each other, but it’s
constantly stopping and starting. Each character in the
play has trouble and Ralph talks through it with them.
Towards the end of the scene, Ross and Campbell
appear, and make it as difficult as possible for them
to carry on.
to the audience they all know each other anyway,
some might say ‘even in the dark’, implying that
they’ve all slept with each other. This conveys how
time has changed, and it would be morally wrong
to do that in these days. As he introduces them one by
one, Ketch interrupts and the women spit at him. He
gets the exact reaction he doesn’t want, and leaves him
feeling more rejected than he did anyway. Duckling and
Dabby don’t get along, as Dabby insults Harry and calls
him a ‘toss pot’. With all the convicts finding it hard
to get along, it shows how the play eventually brings
them together, and overcomes any feuds between them all.
At the end, Ross then makes it as difficult possible
for them to carry on rehearsing by informing Liz
Morden of her trial and punishment; as if it wasn’t difficult
enough anyway. This again shows the audience how
hard people have to work together to get along.
Act Two, Scene One: Visiting Hours
- Liz, Wisehammer, Arscott and Ceaser
are all in chains with Arscott facing away from the
audience. They all discuss how they first became
a convict and discuss any kind of hope of getting out
of prison. Sideway, Mary and Duckling then appear
to practise the play, as Ralph has gone to visit the
Governor.
- Liz speaks a very memorable monologue
about her life and experiences. She talks about how
she became a convict, but in those day’s ‘slang’. This
shows the audience how she’s not very bright, and
how she’s had a very rough upbringing. She then tells
Wisehammer to speak in English when he uses big
words. This is humorous for the audience, as her
monologue was full of words and phrases the audience
don’t understand. Liz and Arscott both ‘think English’,
and know that there’s no hope of escaping, but Ceaser
and Wisehammer are adamant they’ll go back to where
they belong. Mary, Sideway and Duckling then come
on to practise the play. Wisehammer asks how he can
act in chains, and Mary replies ‘This is the Theatre.
We will believe you.’ This shows the audience that
the convicts are very keen and eager to do the play, and
will persist with it no matter what. The show must go
on.
Scene Two: His Excellency Exhorts Ralph
- Ralph is concerned with carrying on with
the play as half of the cast are in chains. Phillip
understands but tries to convince Ralph to carry on
with the play. Ralph is easily influenced and at the
end of the scene, he says he will ‘lay down his life’
for the play.
- Phillip is all about the rehabilitation of
the convicts. He believes people aren’t all bad, and can
easily be educated to be good people. This is a very
important theme in the play, as the whole idea of doing
the play in the first place was to rehabilitate people
and bring them together. Ralph is easily influenced
by Phillip, constantly saying ‘Sir’. Phillip is very
much on Ralph’s side, and believes the play should
go on no matter the amount of superiors that are
against it. The scene ends on a high note, suggesting
the aim of the play itself will end on a high note.
Scene Three: Harry Brewer Sees the Dead
- Harry is sitting in his tent drinking a bottle
of rum. He speaks in different voices of his tormenting
ghosts and then answers his own questions. Duckling
then rushes on to see what’s the matter with Harry.
Harry then pressures her into having sex with him, stops,
and asks Duckling a question in an aggressive tone.
- Harry has many different conversations
with different people. Each topic of conversation is as
irritating as the next. Harry then gets very angry and
starts manically shouting for Duckling. This shows the
audience how mean Harry can be to Duckling, but the
way she reacts suggests that it’s just normal. Duckling
rushes on stage to see what’s the matter. Harry tells
Duckling to have sex with him. She acts as if this is
normal, which shows the audience how weak their
relationship is. Before they begin, he stops and asks
her what she was doing on the beach with Handy
Baker. He is very aggressive and increasingly violent.
He is not loving, and plays a very powerful and sexual
act.
Scene Four: The Aborigine Muses on the Nature of
Dreams
- The Australian describes the nature of dreams
and what this dreams itself is doing.
- The Australian informs the audience that this
particular dream is a dream that no one wants, but it’s
stayed. He says the dream is crowded, hungry and disturbed.
This dream cannot be ignored. Whereas most other dreams
can be explained, this one can’t. This, in relevance to the
play and the convicts means that the show must go on,
despite the amount of people against it and the convicts’
experiences and past. Each convict is desperate for
something new, therefore it can’t be ignored.
Scene Five: The Second Rehearsal
- Ralph, Mary and Sideway are all waiting and
ready to rehearse. Ross and Campbell bring the three prisoners Caesar, Wisehammer and Liz in, all still in chains. Ralph insists he can’t carry on with Liz in chains, but eventually has to give in to Ross. Ross and Campbell stay and make it awkward for Ralph to carry on with the play. Ross abuses Sideway and Mary in spite of Ralph. The cast then begin to act anyway, despite what Ross is doing.
- Ross is so against the play, that he’ll do anything
to anyone to make it as hard as possible for Ralph. He
intentionally stays in the room, even after dropping off the
chained-up convicts, just to make it harder for Ralph and the
cast to perform. Ralph begins to stand up to Ross, and he
doesn’t like it. So asks Sideway to go to him. Ralph then
tells Sideway to stay. Ross and Ralph are constantly
battling for authority, even though Ross is actually higher in
status. This shows the audience how eager Ralph is to
continue with the play and rehabilitate the convicts. Sideway goes to Ross, and his back is shown to rest of the company. The
audience are informed of Sideway’s lashes to his back. He
had 300 lashes, and prisoners are usually dead after 250. This
shows how strong Sideway is, physically and mentally.
Mary is then asked to show her tattoo. Ross obviously knows
she has to lift up her skirt to see it. As Ralph and Mary are
getting closer, this is done intentionally to annoy Ralph.
Sideway then begins to act anyway, and intentionally begins
with making a political statement about how he’ll meet less
cruelty one day and return home.
Scene Six: The Science of Hanging
- Liz is sitting, staring straight ahead. Ketch has
been asked to measure Liz to get the rope length just right.
Liz doesn’t get up, but Harry insists Ketch just get on with it.
In amongst this, Harry still speaks the tormenting voices
he hears in his head aloud. Then speaks normally to Ketch.
At the end of the scene, Liz wants Harry to tell Ralph she
didn’t steal the food, but Harry is so frightened with seeing all these dead people and hearing their voices that he screams and falls.
- Liz doesn’t move or talk to the very end of the
scene, suggesting she’s really thinking about her death.
Perhaps she’s worried or scared. Ketch is very nervous, and
doesn’t want to hurt or irritate Liz by nagging her to get up,
but is also being pressured by Harry. Status is an important
and consistent theme in the play. Ketch then describes a
hanging that took place of a little boy, and people were
laughing. This suggests to the audience that people in those
days were actually entertained by death of hanging, and so
it was like any other day. As Ketch and Harry are about to
leave, Liz asks Harry to tell Ralph she didn’t steal the food.
Harry asks why she never said anything to him before. This
conveys that she has respect for Ralph and didn’t want to
spoil the play. But also, didn’t want to beg for forgiveness.
Scene Seven: The Meaning of Plays
- The Aborigine begin the scene with another
theory or idea about the dream. Straight after, Mary and
Ralph are rehearsing whilst Dabby, Wisehammer and
Arscott are watching them. They discuss the meaning of
the play. Wisehammer gives Ralph a prologue to read
and they begin to practise the play again shortly after.
As they practise, they all talk about their characters and
discuss opinions of them and the storyline itself.
- Dabby and Wisehammer make very slight
and subtle digs at Ralph about Marry such as ‘marriage is
nothing, but will you look after her?’ and ‘then she should
look for someone who can’. This tells the audience that
no matter how subtle Mary and Ralph try and make their
connection, everyone knows about it. Shortly after, when
practising the play, Wisehammer kisses Mary. Ralph
angrily tells Wisehammer it’s not in the play, but really
he’s angry because Wisehammer kissed Mary. Ralph
says it’s ‘completely wrong’. Later on in the scene,
Wisehammer talks about the rehabilitation of people
again, suggesting he is keen to make a new start.
Scene Eight: Duckling Makes Vows
- It’s night time, and Harry is very ill lying
in bed. Duckling talks to Harry, spouting out vows.
- Duckling repeats ‘If you live’ a lot in this
scene, suggesting that’s Harry’s so ill he may not
actually live. Finally, she says ‘If you die, I will never
forgive you’, leans over and finds out Harry’s dead.
She feels like she’s lost him and everything else. She’s
lost her sense of love and security. She then asks
Harry how he could do this to her, suggesting she’ll
find it very difficult without him, and as if it’s his
fault he’s died.
Scene Nine: A Love Scene
- Mary is on the beach at night practising
her lines. Ralph then comes in and acts as ‘Plume’,
her friend. They play the parts, and then discuss
whether Mary’s doing it well. They then kiss and
eventually begin to undress each other.
-
At the beginning of the scene, they’re
both acting their parts. Ralph kisses her, and they then
carry on acting. He kisses her again, and then Ralph says,
as ‘Plume’, “‘You shall have part of my bed.’ Silvia.
Mary.” This is because he wants Mary to share his bed,
not Silvia, the character in the play. Mary asks to try
the line again, and he says the same line, but without
‘Silvia’ at the end, just Mary. This time round, he’s
more adamant to get an answer out of her. She agrees
to sharing his bed and they kiss. They then begin to
undress themselves. The audience are under the
impression Mary is special, as it ‘wasn’t right’ to look
at Ralph’s darling Betsey Alicia naked.
Scene Ten: The Question of Liz
- Ralph, Ross, Phillip, Collins and Campbell
are all discussing whether Liz Morden should be hung.
Many opinions are thrown about, some stronger than
others. Eventually, Campbell brings in Liz Morden
and with words of encouragement, she speaks the
truth. The authoraties believe her and she still has a part
in the play.
- At first, the facts of Liz Morden and
evidence are discussed. Ross is completely against Liz,
and is convinced that she’s lying. Phillip doesn’t want to
hang the first woman in the colony, especially if she is
innocent. Ralph sympathises with Liz, and has almost
become a friend. Campbell begins laughing at the play,
and as it’s very against what Ross is saying, Ross
shouts at Campbell, which could be humourous for
the audience. At the end of the scene, Liz thanks His
Excellency in a very intelligent manner, using ‘big’
words. She doesn’t talk in slang. This shows a change
from what she used to be like. She has come a long
way and has been educated very well. This confirms that
the play does rehabilitate people.
Scene Eleven: Backstage
- The last scene begins with the Aborgine.
It slowly drifts off and the actors come on stage. They
are getting ready for the play. Everybody’s chatting
and getting on well, much better than normal. Dabby
talks about how she’s going to escape to Devon and
everyone disagrees. They all eventually talk about
their futures, and every body has a much more positive
out look on the situation, compared to the beginning.
Wisehammer reads his prologue and every one thinks
it’s good. Everybody is cheerful and happy.
- Sideway wants to start his own theatre
company, and asks anyone if they’d like to be in it.
Wisehammer then makes a dig at Mary, and suggests
to her that he write a play about unrequited love;
referring to Mary and Ralph. This suggests that maybe
he is annoyed because he liked her, or perhaps that
he thinks she doesn’t actually like him like that. Sideway
then talks about how he’ll hold auditions tomorrow.
Dabby, Duckling, Mary and Liz all repeat ‘tomorrow’.
They’re querying whether or not tomorrow will
actually happen. What is over the horizon? Ralph
tells Mary how beautiful she looks, and they begin to
talk about their own future. He says if they have a girl,
it’d be called Betsey Alicia. This suggests that Ralph
still isn’t properly over her, and wants to remember
her for a long time. She may feel rejected. Everyone
talks of where they’d like to go and what they’d like
to do, suggesting that they do have hope now, and
the play has changed the way they think and feel.