Warwick Freshers perform “Our Country’s Good”

First year Theatre & Performance studies students presented two performances of Our Country’s Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker earlier this week. This project was exciting to me because it was an opportunity to see the new talent amongst the first year students, who absolutely delivered without disappointment. There was a strong sense of community amongst the cast which translated through into their performance as the ensemble aspects were by far the most successful element.

Directors Jacqueline Coleman and Emma Devine made a decision to have minimalist set and costume. The choice to have minimalist set seemed to be a practical one but did work well in allowing for imagination and suspense of our disbelief as an audience, for example the miming of guns in act one. The costume choices felt obvious and lacked a certain sense of creativity, but were clear in establishing gender.

The opening sequence of the play was well choreographed and complimented with use of ensemble soundscapes and effective word repetition. Soundscapes and ensemble singing were used throughout during scene changes and were a successful vehicle in establishing the atmosphere of the play.

Overall the dynamics between characters were convincing and the actor’s on-stage relationships felt truthful. The officers had a well-established status structure between them which was clear from the outset. Ralph Clark (Sam Lawrence) was wonderfully pathetic and a lovable character, showing his sensitivities well.

Captain Campbell had a strong sense of character which was kept up throughout the performance, she used the opportunities within the script well to create a farcical interpretation and was accurate in her use of comic timing.

There was a well-established through line in the truthful portrayal of Duckling (Ellie Firz-Gerald) and Harry’s (Sam Cullen) relationship. We as audience members felt immersed and part of their connection, allowing us to sympathise with them. Duckling gave us the feeling of innocence and pure, raw female emotion in her reaction to Harry’s death.

It was clear that the directors had considered some of the issues raised in Our Country’s Good. For example Mary and Dabby’s relationship was used as a vehicle to showcase the contemporary feminist issues that Wertenbaker has embedded into the script. The pair clearly portrayed the contrast in their characters with both gesture and vocal performance as well as their differing individual reactions to the male officers.

Harry’s breakdown scene was a sobering portrayal of the issues surrounding Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, the scene was high in emotion and captured the horror of the disease. The stylistic choices within this scene were effective, with the cast acting as a chorus closing in on him when he cowered in the centre of a harsh spotlight. This was another great moment of ensemble within the piece.

Ketch (Georgie Anderson) gave a chilling performance as the executioner, bringing a softer element to Liz’s character (Rebekah Hesmondhalgh) in their scenes. This vulnerable side of Liz was seen again in a later court room scene and contrasted well to her earlier performance in which she wholly embodied the image of a bully.

Moments of comedy gave us a relief from the emotionally taxing nature of the play. A particular highlight was Molly Eedle’s portrayal of “Shitty Meg”. Lizzie Stowell’s vocals carried the comedy in Sideway’s dialogue well with a soft and melodic tone. I found my focus was on Sideway for many of the scenes due to her energetic performance and her varied and engaging use of stage space.

The convicts built up a real sense of cohesion as a group. They fought with each other believably, absorbed by their bickering in a childlike manner. A special mention must go to Caesar (Beatriz Couciero) for an accurate and adorable accent winning over total sympathy from the audience.

Overall the staging was well structured with the beginning and the end mirroring each other. The use of lighting was diverse, inventive and facilitated any sense of environment, for example opening with a gauze of waves. More than anything you could see the hard work the cast had put in and felt the close-knit nature of their relationships, both as a group and between individuals. I thoroughly enjoyed the performance and look forward to the next Theatre and Performance Studies project taking place in term three.