Our Country's Good

Lyric Theatre Hammersmith - 11/09/2024

12th September 2024

Torture, colonialism and comedy a mix that seems impossible. This production of Timberlake Wertenbaker's 'Our Country's is good' will one minute make you laugh and the next will make you feel discomfort from a hard hitting scene of torturing convicts.

Review:

Sand, trees and a beaming sun is the set of 'Our Country's Good' directed by the CEO of the Lyric Hammersmith theathre Rachel O'Riordan. This piece explores dark themes of consequences for 'crimes': such as torture, execution, humiliation and it is shown through some teeth gritting, uncomfortable scenes.

The show is set in 1788 in Australia and is about ship filled with English convicts being brought to this dessert in Australia. They are imprisoned and held inhumanely accountable for their 'crimes'. One of the lieutenants comes up with a strange idea of putting on a show to help 'put the good' back into the convicts and detatch them from their crimes. The question is: would this break the barrier between the savages and convicts? Are they really so different from one another?

The multi roling effectively showed that the savages and the convicts were the same. The most notable performance was by Ruby Bentall, who played Mary Brenham/Reverand Johnson/Meg Long. She played each role so differently, you would believe they were completely different people. As Mary she played a scared, young girl with an compelling back story, you could see she had been through trauma as a convict. Meg was a loud, confident, rough older woman and Reverend Johnson is a backwards/traditional older man with loud opinions. She brought alot of comedy, but also some very touching and uncomfortable moments.

One scene inparticular that Ruby Bentall's performance was moving was when Captain Major Robbie is asking the convicts to do humilating things such as bark like a dog to dehumanize them and he asks Mary to show her tattoo. She previously talks about how it was the name of her lover and it was in an intimate place. In this moment you can see her fear of the savages and how they have tortured her in the past, hints of sexual assault and this moment is so uncomfortable. You can see her breaking as she lifts up the skirt of her dress higher and higher slowly and reluctantly. The multi roling was achieved successfully through the variation in characters and the cast did this well.

The costume also helped with showing the differentiation of characters. As the savages they wore navy jackets and hats. Then, as convicts they wore dusty/dirty clothes. The variety of the costumes as convicts was a little confusing at times. Some of the women wore old style clothes, like maidens, but then with combat boots. Then, a couple charaters wore modern items, like old Nike trainers and Liz Morden's costume was an Adidas tracksuit. There were other modern elements, like jeans for the men. This would've been more effective to choose either modern or historical to make the audience imagine the environment better, it just reminds you that it's a show. Even avoiding branding would've made it a little more effective.

However, the costume elements and changing them for the characters was effective in differentiating characters in multi roling. One effective use of costume was when Second Lieutenant Ralph Clarke takes off his Navy jacket and it shows how him working with the convicts making the show has broken down the hierarchy between them and shows that they are not so different any more and he respects/cares for them.

The set was the most interesting element. The curtain that falls is a union jack that has locks on it, like a closed door thats locked. It shows how the convicts and savages are essentially locked away from their country, but they are constantly trying to get back to it. Whether it is literally, such as when the convicts try to escape or metaphorically. The convicts and the savages are trying to bring their country into the space and live as if they are at home. The set itself is a desert like area with sand and trees that are just branches, it's a hill so it's on a slant. You can see the beams of sun light from the lighting. As the piece goes on the cast destory the area with how they throw props around, such as chairs and rubbish everywhere, even tied around trees. This highlights the disrespect for the land they have that the narrator who is a person from that Australian desert, it's her home, who talks about how the savages took over and destoryed their land.

This show was in some respects hard hitting. The actors should have committed to the hard hitting moments more. At the start one of the characters is topless and with the other cast standing next to him lined up. The lights come up and there is the sound of a whip and he screams, this repeats a few times. The scream isn't realistic, it does not make you feel uncomfortable, it just makes you cringe and that is because you have to give 100% energy and commitment to that moment. It needs to be unsettling and sound raw. It just felt like the actor held back and this could have been a strong opening to set the tone for the treatment of the convicts. There was a lack of reaction that was going on in this moment from the rest of the cast also.

Overall, it is a very long show and it could be condensed. There are many moving and uncomfortable moments that are thought provoking. Mixed with some brilliant comedic moments. The set is beautiful and enhances the shows production value. The cast's multiroling is very interesting. It is worth the watch and if you are interested in history, then this is for you!