I would try and create a crossfade effect between the first and second scenes. Not simply with the lights, but also with the characters. For Example I would use one of the original convicts to play the part of the aborigine, as in the first production of the play. This will remind the audience that they are simply watching a play, as going along with the Brechtian Influences of Wertenbaker’s ideas. The Aborigine would emerge from a cage as if emerging from the ground to show that he is at one with the earth and its spirit. He would slip out of loose rags to reveal aboriginal body paint immediately showing to the audience that they were now in Australia. The lighting would be a blend of very orange/yellow colours to signify the Australian outback. The sounds would be of didgeridoo’s and wildlife however being interrupted by the calls of sailors to show how they are disturbing a natural way of life. He would move very slowly and relaxed despite being slightly confused at the happenings rather than worried. Therefore there will be a non-urgent rhythmical pace to the delivery of his lines. The other characters would snap backwards because Reality is not really the most important aspect when staging this play. It is completely subservient to the message and the process of the play. The Aborigine would be very still looking over the other characters to show that he doesn’t want to be part of their way of life and he is just a spectator in it all, like the audience. His lines would also be directed at the audience, as if he’s speaking to another aborigine who is a confused spectator who gradually becomes more knowledgeable as the play goes on.
After this scene the aborigine will be startled by the sound of a loud shot as the hunters get into motion from being previously upstage in darkness with the Aborigine watching over them. The Aborigine would move to the side for now and observe the situation but the officers will completely ignore his presence and stroll on completely self-involved. The shot, and the presence of a Gun held by a character (Harry Brewer- being the lowest of rank). The characters would be in a fairly informal ring. They start off talking about hanging as if it was of no big significance to them. Their movements and line delivery should initially show this. I think Philip may be a bit reserved because his ideas are more about rehabilitation than punishment. If he holds his shoulders in and keeps a very tight stance constantly changing his focus as though he was unhappy about the ideas the other officers were throwing around. Their costumes would all be highly decorative in the 18th C officer fashion but considering their circumstances they would be in a poor state. This will let the audience know that everybody was struggling in Australia, and not just the convicts. This is also highlighted in the line “only the 3 who stole from the stores [will be hung]” Showing that the worst punishable crime is stealing from the colony’s stores because of the short supply of food. This is an issue that the audience need to realise to understand some of the drastic action taken against those who steal from the stores later in the play.
The character of Tench has a lot of sarcasm and satire built into his role, so I would have him deliver his lines with a sort of pompous sneer. He does become irritating to all the characters and I would want this to become apparent through their reactions to his comments such as “Perhaps we should build an opera house for the –“ Philip would roll his eyes at the irrelevant comment considering his outlook on rehabilitation. It’s also a potentially funny line because of the Dramatic irony. The fact that there is now a Huge Opera house located in Sydney harbour. I would be a slow remark so that the audience can fully understand this irony and add a slightly light-hearted moment to what has been a very dark play.
Every now and again amidst the argumentative conversation, I would have the characters track a bird with their Fingers, pointing across the sky. This would show to the audience the serious issues, which the officers are really quite ignorant towards, being able to stop for part of their game. However, not all of the characters here are proper officers. Harry Brewer is only the rank of midshipman. This is expressed quite clearly in the line “Shot, Sir” It shows to the audience how there is still a barrier and How the ranking/class system is so apparent. This has a lot of political context to the time the play was written, with the Conservative ideology in Britain at the time. The Line would be said first as “Shot” with “Sir” said after a reaction from the actual officers, showing how the look down on him being a lower class and expect him to answer up to them. Tench most specifically would stare particularly coldly at Harry. And probably stick his nose up at him quite literally until he adds the “sir” remarks where he’d give a patronising nod of approval.
At the end of the scene there is a slightly comic moment regarding the hanging of an 82 year olds woman. I would have the characters not feel any of the comicality and show it in any way. This seriousness will cause an initial reaction of laughter amongst the audience but the subsequent thoughts will be the complete opposite. The Brechtian influence of dialecticism is very apparent here. Getting the audience to look at this even from both sides, some may still find it comical whereas other may find it a harrowing idea.
The Light in this scene would be insanely bright and heat coloured, to show the physical atmosphere of the place, the sound would also be that of the outback, in order to firmly imprint the location in the audience’s minds. The Shot’s would be very loud and have a long echo to show how much of an imprint modernisation leaves on a natural landscape.
The transition into scene four would be a bit longer, the actors would break off from the performance and create Ralph’s tent centre stage right purely from a desk and seat. Ralph would start centre stage talking to himself running through each of his thoughts but quickly changing the subject before he gets too emotionally involved about his sexual thoughts.
To show that it was a tent at night, Ralph would be up-lit to symbolise light from a candle while he is writing in his journal. There would be an eerie silence with odd insect noises to bring an edge of realism to the loneliness of it all. On the line “Major Ross…” he would walk over and take a seat by his desk…breathing deeply showing a hint of sadism in his lusts, speaking about the flogging of a girl.
Harry would stride in quickly and look over, there would be an awkward tension between the two, Ralph acting like he’s being accused of something when he quickly interrupts “I was writing in my journal,” Ralph would be very alert and tense not to let Harry know why he’s awake because of his thoughts.
When Harry says, “Haven’t you ever been tempted?” Ralph’s reaction would be very stern and abrupt as thought he’s never even contemplated the idea, where as in fact the audience knows he had sexual desire before Harry came onto the stage. He says the abrupt line with a still body and a fixed stare. He follows this saying He’d never been noticed, which shows the audience Ralph’s desire for promotion. I would say this in a sorrowful way, looking towards the floor then back up towards Harry while closing his body in.
This is the one of the first parts where the idea of a play is mentioned in Our Country’s Good. Ralph sees it as his chance for promotion and the audience need to realise this about the play. Therefore at the end of the scene, he would not seem to be listening to Harry, but extenuate and hold the thought on the last line about the play, which would immediately show the audience this play, is a central part of OCG.
