OUR COUNTRY'S GOOD

1988 Winner of the Evening Standard Award for Most Promising Playwright  

1988 Winner of the Laurence Olivier/BBC Award for Best New Play  

 

 

“…a substantial, stimulating and – most importantly – entertaining piece of theatre.” Theatre World

 “ [Tanya] Franks has the ability to turn the moment into a theatrical and emotional cliffhanger.” 
The Stage

Botany Bay 1789, and a young English Lieutenant directs a play, a light-hearted comedy called The Recruiting Officer. His actors are a makeshift troupe of transported convicts, many of them illiterate, his leading lady is condemned to hang and his fellow officers are vehemently opposed to the endeavour. Against all odds and in the face of brutality, degradation and punishment, the actors, and their jailors learn cooperation, compassion and to hope.

 

Wertenbaker’s modern classic, filled with vibrant characters written with humour and compassion, illustrates the extraordinary human ability to transcend circumstances and the power of theatre to change lives.

 

The cast includes Jason Baughan who appeared in Propeller's Twelfth Night, The Taming of The Shrew and The Winter's Tale and Tanya Franks from Eastenders, Pulling and now appearing in the new BBC2 comedy show, The Cup. Paul Lloyd appeared in The Globe's King Lear, The Frontline, Othello, Anthony & Cleopatra and In Extremis. Simon Thorp's work for Shared Experience includes War and Peace, After Mrs Rochester and Madame Bovery and Orlando Wells starred in The National Theatre's production of The History Boys. Other cast members include John Cummins, Ruth Everett, Alex Maher, Rex Obano and Tonya Smith.

 

Please note, this play contains some strong language and sexual references. 

There will be gun shots during the performance

 

Our Country's Good is a set text for AS & A-level English and Drama students. 

 

First Act:       1 hour 15 mins
Interval:       20 mins
Second Act:   1 hour

 

We are offering workshops for schools. For further information email outreach@watermill.org.uk.

 

A free education pack will be available to download from our website.

 

Newbury Dramatic Society will be performing an amateur production of The Recruiting Officer at The Watermill from Tues 28 October to Sat 1 November. Tickets: £10 & £8 concessions