Our Country's Good

Contemplate the shadow of colonization: of a land, a body, a mind, or of a theatre. Is this an act of entitlement or privilege, of civiliza​tion or barbarity?

Consider convict transport in the name of colonization: Our Country's Good, by renowned British playwright Timberlake Wertenbaker, pushes a weary regiment of officers and their petty-criminal charges to reinvent social order on Australia's wild new frontier. Thousands of miles from their native home, the entire spectrum of humanity is confronted, from compassion to brutality. Can this be a colony of redemption, for convict and officer alike? Where is the light casting these shadows?

Man speaking over the shoulder of another man who looks scared
Man and woman sitting down in a makeshift raft
Man talking to a woman
Group of people on stage in the play 'Our Country's Good'
Three woman standing in dresses on stage
Group of men standing in prison uniforms
Group of men sitting in prison uniforms
Man kneeling over a woman on her knees
Girl standing in handcuffs looking distraught
Shadows of people in the play 'Our Country's Good'
Silhouettes of six people in the play 'Our Country's Good'
Group of people sitting and lying down
Man and woman holding a book sitting and talking
Group of people on stage in the play 'Our Country's Good'
Group of people on stage with two men holding wooden planks
Man speaking over the shoulder of another man who looks scared
Man and woman sitting down in a makeshift raft
Man talking to a woman
Group of people on stage in the play 'Our Country's Good'
Three woman standing in dresses on stage
Group of men standing in prison uniforms
Group of men sitting in prison uniforms
Man kneeling over a woman on her knees
Girl standing in handcuffs looking distraught
Shadows of people in the play 'Our Country's Good'
Silhouettes of six people in the play 'Our Country's Good'
Group of people sitting and lying down
Man and woman holding a book sitting and talking
Group of people on stage in the play 'Our Country's Good'
Group of people on stage with two men holding wooden planks
Man speaking over the shoulder of another man who looks scared
Girl standing in handcuffs looking distraught
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Shadows of people in the play 'Our Country's Good'
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Silhouettes of six people in the play 'Our Country's Good'
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Group of people sitting and lying down
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Man and woman holding a book sitting and talking
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Group of people on stage in the play 'Our Country's Good'
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Group of people on stage with two men holding wooden planks
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Man speaking over the shoulder of another man who looks scared
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Man and woman sitting down in a makeshift raft
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Man talking to a woman
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Group of people on stage in the play 'Our Country's Good'
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Three woman standing in dresses on stage
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Group of men standing in prison uniforms
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Group of men sitting in prison uniforms
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Man kneeling over a woman on her knees
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Winter 2006 Production

By Timberlake Wertenbaker

Directed by: Andrew Houston

Performances: March 15-18, 2006

Venue: Theatre of the Arts, Modern Languages Building

Artistic Team

Director - Andy Houston

Assistant Director - Steve Ryder

Set Designer - Bill Chesney

Costume Designer - Jocelyne Sobeski

Lighting Designer - Scott Spidell

Sound Designer - Fraser Smith

Musical Director - Nick Storring

Production Team

Producer - Bill Chesney

Stage Manager - Meg DeForest

ASM (Book) - Jessica Isaard

ASM (Props) - Emily Howard

ASM (Wardrobe) - Stephanie Casselman

Production Manager - Jacqui Kaiser

Technical Director  - Fraser Smith

Head Carpenter - Gill Lespérance

Sound Operator - Andrea Dupuis

Lighting Board Operator - John Cormier

Publicity - Robin Atchison

Program Creation - Gerd Hauck, Steve Ryder, Michelle

Technical Support Provided by the Drama 244 Class - Whitney Allen, Shelby Barker, Sarah Bihun, John Cormier, David Couture, Andrea Dupuis, Michelle Foster, Jason Garramone, Mikey Klein, Kendra Marr, Jessica Moore, Michelle Horel, Wes Moir, Joe Recchia, Melissa Runhart, Katrina Sauve, Monica Skorupski, Ryan Stickney

Cast

Captain Arthur Philip - Greg Carere

Major Robbie Ross - Mikey Klein

Captain David Collins - Brendan Riggs

Captain Watkin Tench - Keriece Harris

Captain Jemmy Campbell - Dave W. Ouellette

Reverend Johnson - Roberto Antonio Munoz Gomez

Lieutenant George Johnstone - Amy Cruickshank

Lieutenant Will Dawes - Jennifer Lorbetski

Second Lieutenant Ralph Clark - Brad Cook

Second Lieutenant William Faddy -Melanie Bennett

Midshipman Harry Brewer - Nathanael Laurence Gibbs

Aborigine - Johnny Trinh

Aborigine - Miranda Warner

John Arscott - Dave W. Ouellette

Black Caesar - Keriece Harris

Ketch Freeman - Mikey Klein

Robert Sideway - Brendan Riggs

John Wisehammer - Greg Carere

Mary Brenham - Elizabeth Barry

Dabby Bryant - Melanie Bennett

Liz Morden - Jennifer Lorbetski

Duckling Smith - Amy Cruickshank

Meg Long - Roberto Antonio Munoz Gomez

Music Accompaniment - Nick Storring