Theatre Lovers Enjoy ‘Our Country’s Good’

The Drama Department organised a popular trip to see ‘Our Country’s Good’ at The Lyric Hammersmith on Wednesday 25th September with students from GCSE and A Level Drama & Theatre Studies keen to attend. It was a fantastic opportunity for students to see a contemporary theatre performance and the group were able to  gather evidence and absorb their experience to help them respond to a live theatre question in their written examination. Our Drama Scholars in Years 9 and the Sixth Form were also part of the trip, enriching their broader understanding of theatre.

Ava (Year 11) was shocked by “How people were discrimated against and how the system in the Georgian times did not let you off just one mistake.  I liked that it was comedic but also had historical elements. The set and lighting all helped to create the atmosphere too.” Charlotte  (Year 11) also liked the staging commenting “I liked the use of lighting which was realistic when the camp fire was lit when Harry was ill.” Catherine (Year 11) was impressed by the set, “There were levels to the staging so it was like a hill.”

Holly (Lower Sixth) enjoyed “ the use of physical theatre especially at the start of the play and the way movement was used to distract the audience in the scene changes.” Whilst Drama scholars Els and Max (Year 9) were drawn in by the small cast and “how they multi-roled it.”

Reflecting on the messaging of the play, Izzy (Lower Sixth) concluded that the evening had taught her how “People that are disadvantaged can come together as a community and do things that you don’t expect.”

This new production revisits Timberlake Wertenbaker’s Olivier award-winning play which explores the power of the British judicial system in the 1700s. A ship full of deported convicts sails from Britain to Australia, some 15,000 miles away. To keep these convicts civilised and under control a young ambitious lieutenant, Ralph Clark decides that they should put on a play. The cast of convicts face a vast array of challenges including possessing only two copies of the text, the majority of the convicts are illiterate, and one leading lady may be about to be hanged!