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Past Productions
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November 12th - November 16th 1996 The Marlowe Players presented Our Country's Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker |
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On a bright Sunday morning in the Spring of 1787, a fleet of ships weighed anchor and sailed down the English Channel bound for Australia. Within the cramped and stinking holds of these vessels were crammed the convict cast-offs of England, whose 'job' it was to build the first colony, their discipline and punishment being overseen by a detatchment of Marines, serving as convict guard. Leading the fleet, the flagship "Sirius" finally made landfall at Botany Bay, Australia, on January 20th, 1788, after some eight months at sea, with the English flag being raised, saluted and toasted at Sydney Cove the following week. Shortly after setting up camp, the Governor-in-Chief, Captain Arthur Phillip, felt that something ought to be done to help reform and educate the prisoners, so he decided to put on a play, with the convicts as actors. Enter Second Lieutenant Ralph Clark, a somewhat naive officer, who sees directing the play as an opportunity to gain favour with the Governor and hopefully to increase his chances of promotion. But, not everybody is in favour of the production going ahead. By far the most serious opposition comes from the brutal Marine, Major Robbie Ross. However, Ralph Clark must take the various thieves, muggers, whores and pick-pockets, assigned to him by the Governor and mould them into something resembling a theatre company and perform the play "The Recruiting Officer" by George Farquhar. |
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| Directed by........................................Richard Stevenson | |
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CAST Captain Arthur Phillip.................Tony Whitley Major Robbie Ross........................Jim Lawson Captain David Collins.........Steve Pryce-Howell Captin Watkin Tench....................Mike Asprey Captain Jemmy Campbell................Phil Upton Reverend Johnson...........................Val Whitley Lieutenent George Johnston...........Suzi Illston Lieutenent Will Dawes................Tracy Hanson 2nd Lieutenent Ralph Clark.........Martin Illston 2nd Lieutenent William Faddy.....Wendy Beric Midshipman Harry Brewer...........Gordon Gell |
Midshipman Harry Brewer...........Gordon Gell An Aboriginal Australian..........Simon Ammora John Arscott....................................Jim Lawson Black Caesar............................Simon Ammora Ketch Freeman..............................Mike Asprey Robert Sideway...............................Ben Adams John Wisehammer.......................Tony Whitley Mary Brenham..................................Sue Orme Dabby Bryant................................Wendy Beric Liz Morden..................................Tracy Hanson Duckling Smith.................................Suzi Illston Meg Long........................................Val Whitley |
| BACKSTAGE | |
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Stage Manager..............................................Janet Townes Sound..........................................Gil Townes, Steve Cooper Lighting..............................................................Dean Davis Properties.........................................Pat Upton, Vida Ayres Continuity................................................Marjorie Howarth Publicity..................................................Raymond Gumbley |
Artwork.............................................................Steve Coley Music..........John Adams, Michelle Short, Richard Stevenson Front of House.......................Pauline Green, Audrey Warne Set Design/Construction............Gil Townes, Steve Cooper ..........................., Vince Morris, Frank Grundy, Rob Nelson |
