set text prompt copy - the highfield school

A Level Drama and Theatre Studies

Set Text Prompt Copy

Our Country’s Good

Timberlake Wertenbaker

NAME__________________________________________________

How to use this Prompt Copy:

For each scene of the play: you need to complete the scene details to enable you to shape your ideas for Acting, Directing and Designing the play.

You should include drama/design vocabulary (see the glossaries in the back of this prompt copy for support)

Remember- your creative decisions should be consonant with the play as a whole: although it is episodic: there should still be an overall vision/style for the piece.

Draw sketches with detail and label them/ use colour to help memorise your design ideas.

Still have spare space around the margins of a page? Add in words that summarise the feeling of this scene or quotations from Wertenbaker/Clarke or critics about the play/key quotations from the scene. Use the additional revision sheets/crib sheets/ practice question builder to extend your revision. You must know the play well!

Use your peers for creative ideas, look at images from designers/directors on the Internet, use YouTube for inspiration and most of all- think about how you would present the play practically: as an actor: as a director or working on/with a design.

Your Staging Configuration is:

______________________________________________________________

Your composite design is: (draw it below!)

NOTE: you may want to draw this on paper first and have your teacher check it so you know it is a viable idea.

REMEMBER: Label the audience on your design Label exits and entrances on your design Label levels in ascending numerical order on your design Can use shapes to represent set items- just ensure they are

labelled clearly Think about sight lines and audience blocking!

COMPOSITE= Design does not change throughout production. If your set design will be completed altered for different scenes or for different Acts: it is not composite.

QUICK CHARACTER SUMMARIES

For each character: fill the box with intentions for role/facts/ things to remember about that character as a quick prompt guide.

THE OFFICERS (in rank order)

GOVERNOR ARTHUR PHILLIP Royal Navy (Military Rank= Captain)

MAJOR ROBBIE ROSS Royal Marines

(Highest military rank in Colony)

CAPTAIN DAVID COLLINS Royal Marines (Colony’s Judge)

CAPTAIN WATKIN TENCH Royal Marines

CAPTAIN JEMMY CAMPBELL Royal Marines

LIEUTENANT WILLIAM DAWES Royal Marines

LIEUTENANT GEORGE JOHNSTON Royal Marines

SECOND LIEUTENANT RALPH CLARK Royal Marines

Colour each character’s box in: red for against the play/ green for the play and leave white if they remain neutral.

SECOND LIEUTENANT WILLIAM FADDY Royal Marines

MIDSHIPMAN HARRY BREWER Royal Marines

REVEREND RICHARD JOHNSON First Clergyman on the Colony

BLACK CAESAR Originally from Madagascar.

THE CONVICTS For each character: fill the box with intentions for role/facts/ things to remember about that character as a quick prompt guide.

JOHN ARSCOTT Transported for: Burglary. Cornishman.

JAMES ‘KETCH’ FREEMAN Transported for: Involvement in the Killing of a Sailor and naming-names of those involved

Made to be the hangman in the colony: he is told “hang or be hanged”

JOHN WISEHAMMER Transported for: Stealing Snuff: he claims he is innocent. Jewish

ROBERT SIDEWAY A London Pickpocket

MARY BRENHAM Transported for: stole clothing from employer

DABBY BRYANT Transported for: attacking a woman and stealing money from her From Devon/Cornwall

DUCKLING SMITH Transported for: Theft and Prostitution. Keneally lists her name as Ann in the novel, but no Ann or Duckling are found in first colony list.

LIZ MORDEN In Keneally’s novel her name is Nancy Turner. Neither name appears in first colony list. Trasnported for: Pickpocketing and whoring.

The Natives

Who changes the most through the play amongst

the convicts?

Rank order the convicts based on who changes the most and give reasons why/examples that are evident of this change.

MEG LONG (SHITTY MEG) The Colony’s ‘Madam’: only makes one, appearance.

ABORIGINE

KEY REMINDERS

The style you have chosen will be seen through what

techniques?

10 key Historical/Social/Cultural

links to make are:

1) 2) 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10)

Wertenbaker’s key messages/themes are:

WHAT SHOULD THIS SCENE SHOW? WHAT KEY MESSAGES ARE BEING REINFORCED?

CONTEXT LINKS IN THIS SCENE?

DRAW YOUR SET FOR THIS SCENE And MARK ON CHARACTER POSITIONS:

LIGHTING?

SOUND?

COMMENTS ON SCENE/DIRECTION:

ACT ONE, SCENE ONE:

THE VOYAGE OUT CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:




LIGHTING?

SOUND?


ACT ONE, SCENE TWO:

A LONE ABORIGINAL CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:




LIGHTING?

SOUND?


ACT ONE, SCENE THREE:

PUNISHMENT CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:




LIGHTING?

SOUND?


ACT ONE, SCENE FOUR:

THE LONLINESS OF MEN CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:




LIGHTING?

SOUND?


ACT ONE, SCENE FIVE:

AN AUDITION CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:




LIGHTING?

SOUND?

ACT ONE, SCENE SIX:

THE AUTHORITIES DISCUSS THE MERITS OF THE THEATRE CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:




LIGHTING?

SOUND?


ACT ONE, SCENE SEVEN:

HARRY AND DUCKLING GO ROWING CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:




LIGHTING?

SOUND?


ACT ONE, SCENE EIGHT:

THE WOMEN LEARN THEIR LINES CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:




LIGHTING?

SOUND?


ACT ONE, SCENE NINE:

RALPH CLARK TRIES TO KISS HIS DEAR WIFE’S PICTURE

CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:




LIGHTING?

SOUND?


ACT ONE, SCENE TEN:

JOHN WISEHAMMER AND MARY BRENHAM EXCHANGE WORDS





LIGHTING?

SOUND?

ACT ONE, SCENE ELEVEN:

THE FIRST REHEARSAL CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:

ACT ONE: QUESTIONS

Answer all parts of this question. You must make specific reference to the social, cultural and/or historical context of Our Country’s Good in your answers and ensure that your interpretive ideas are appropriate to the play as a whole.

ACT ONE, SCENE ELEVEN Explain and Justify how you would direct the performers from “Sideway has dropped to his knees” until “but the audience won’t see my face” in order to show your interpretation of the moment. As a performer, explain and justify how you would perform the role of Dabby from “we’re ladies now” until “There won’t be a first scene” in order to show your interpretation of the role. As a designer, outline your ideas for set or costume for this extract. Explain and justify how these would help to create the appropriate period and production style at this point in the play.

ACT ONE, SCENE SIX Explain and Justify how you would direct the performers from “Ross: Constellations. Plays!...” until “Campbell: Wilde. Wilde” in order to show your interpretation of this moment. As a performer, explain and justify how you would perform the role of Ralph from “and why not?” until “England” in order to show his defence of the play to the Officers. As a designer, outline your ideas for set or costume for the scene. Explain and justify how these would help to create the appropriate mood or atmosphere for this point in the play.

ACT ONE, SCENE EIGHT Explain and Justify how you would direct the performers from “Mary: Are you remembering your lines Dabby?” until “Dabby: Do you want me to learn these lines or not?” in order to show the treatment of women convicts. As a performer, explain and justify how you would perform the role of Liz from “you can’t do the play without me…” until “Stick to your ropes my little galler…” in order to reveal your interpretation of the role As a designer, outline your ideas for costume or set design for the scene. Explain and justify how these would help to create the appropriate mood or atmosphere for this point in the play.

ACT ONE, SCENE FIVE Explain and Justify how you would direct the performers from “Meg: We heard you were looking for some women” until “Meg: … old Shitty Meg” in order to show your interpretation of the moment. As a performer, explain and justify how you would perform the role of Sideway from “top of my profession, Mr Clark” until “Sideway scuttles off” in order to reveal your interpretation of the role As a designer, outline your ideas for lighting or set design for the scene. Explain and justify how these would help to create the appropriate mood or atmosphere for this point in the play.

ACT ONE, SCENE ONE/TWO Explain and Justify how you would direct the performers from the start of the play until

“Aborigine: Best to leave it alone” in order to convey the mood and atmosphere of the opening of the play.

As a performer, explain and justify how you would perform the role of Wisehammer in Scene One

AND the Aborigine in Scene Two in order to reveal you interpretations of the roles.

As a designer, outline your ideas for sound or lighting for this moment. Explain and justify how these would help to create the appropriate settings for these points in the play.

ACT ONE, SCENE FOUR Explain and Justify how you would direct the performers from the line “Harry: we used to hear you on the ship Ralph” until “Ralph: you wont forget to talk to His Excellency about the play?” in order to convey the scene title: the loneliness of men.

As a performer, explain and justify how you would perform the role of Ralph from the beginning of the scene until “Harry Brewer has come in” in order to reveal your interpretation of the role.

As a designer, outline your ideas for set design for this moment. Explain and justify how these

ideas would help to show the appropriate period setting for the play.

ACT ONE, SCENE SEVEN Explain and Justify how you would direct the performers from the line “Harry: Duckling Cove, eh?” until “Harry: what do you want, Duckling?” in order to convey their relationship at this point. As a performer, explain and justify how you would perform the role of Duckling from “I don’t want to be watched all the time” until “I’ll be in the play” in order to reveal your interpretation of the role As a designer, outline your ideas for set design or lighting design for this moment. Explain and Justify how these ideas would help set the mood and atmosphere of the moment.

ACT ONE, SCENE TEN Explain and justify how you would direct the performers from the line “Mary goes back to her copying” until “Wisehammer: Laughter” in order to covey their growing friendship at this point. As a performer, explain and justify how you would perform the role of Wisehammer from the beginning of the scene until “Wisehammer: Anguish” in order to convey Wisehammer’s intelligence. As a designer, outlines your ideas for the costume design or sound design for this moment. Explain and justify how these ideas would help to establish the mood of the scene.




LIGHTING?

SOUND?

ACT TWO, SCENE ONE

VISITING HOURS CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:




LIGHTING?

SOUND?


ACT TWO, SCENE TWO:

HIS EXCELLENCY EXHORTS RALPH CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:




LIGHTING?

SOUND?


ACT TWO, SCENE THREE:

HARRY BREWER SEES THE DEAD





LIGHTING?

SOUND?


ACT TWO, SCENE FOUR:

THE ABORIGINE MUSES ON THE NATURE OF DREAMS





LIGHTING?

SOUND?

ACT TWO, SCENE FIVE:

THE SECOND REHEARSAL CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:




LIGHTING?

SOUND?


ACT TWO, SCENE SIX:

THE SCIENCE OF HANGING CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:




LIGHTING?

SOUND?


ACT TWO, SCENE SEVEN:

THE MEANING OF PLAYS CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:




LIGHTING?

SOUND?


ACT TWO, SCENE EIGHT:

DUCKLING MAKES VOWS CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:




LIGHTING?

SOUND?


ACT TWO, SCENE NINE:

A LOVE SCENE CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:




LIGHTING?

SOUND?


ACT TWO, SCENE TEN:

THE QUESTION OF LIZ CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:




LIGHTING?

SOUND?

ACT TWO, SCENE ELEVEN:

BACKSTAGE CHARACTERS AND INTENTIONS:

ACT TWO: QUESTIONS

Answer all parts of this question. You must make specific reference to the social, cultural and/or historical context of Our Country’s Good in your answers and ensure that your interpretive ideas are appropriate to the play as a whole.

ACT TWO, SCENE FIVE Explain and Justify how you would direct the performers from “Ralph: Major there is a modesty attached to the process of creation which must be respected” until “The shouts of Arscott are heard” in order to show power struggles amongst the officers and convicts. As a performer, explain and justify how you would perform the role of Major Ross from the beginning of the scene until “No one’s stopping you, Lieutenant” to reveal your interpretation of the role. As a designer, outline your ideas for costume or lighting for this extract. Explain and justify how these would help to create the appropriate setting and production style at this point in the play.

ACT TWO, SCENE THREE Explain and Justify how you would direct the performers from “Duckling rushes on” until “Harry: you were with Handy Baker” in order to show your interpretation of their relationship. As a performer, explain and justify how you would perform the role of Harry Brewer from “Duckling! Duckling!” until “…what you’ve done?’ Duckling! Duckling!” to show Harry’s disintegrating mental state. As a designer, outline your ideas for sound design or lighting design for this extract. Explain and justify how these would help to create the appropriate mood or atmosphere at this point in the play.

ACT TWO, SCENE ELEVEN Explain and Justify how you would direct the performers from “Aborigine: Look…” until “Dabby: bravo, Dabby, bravo”” in order to show your interpretation of this moment. As a performer, explain and justify how you would perform the role of Ralph from “Arscott, remember to address the soldiers…” until “called Betsey Alicia” in order to show his journey since the beginning of the play. As a designer, outline your ideas for sound or set design for this extract. Explain and justify how these would help to create the appropriate mood or atmosphere for this point in the play.

ACT TWO, SCENE ONE/ TWO Explain and justify how you would direct the performers from “Phillip: I had retired from His Majesty’s Service, Ralph” until Ralph: “Thankyou, Sir. Thank you” in order to show your interpretation of this moment. As a performer, explain and justify how you would perform the role of Governor Phillip from “Would you have a world without Socrates?” until “You will have to help, Ralph” in order to show how Phillip believes in the redemption of the convicts. As a designer, outline your ideas for costume design or set design for this extract. Explain and justify how these ideas would help to create the appropriate period and style features of your production.

ACT TWO, SCENE SEVEN Explain and justify how you would direct the performers from “Ralph: People who can’t pay attention should not go to the theatre” until “Ralph: Arscott, would you start the scene” in order to convey the meaning behind the scene’s title. As a performer, explain and justify how you would perform the role of Dabby from “It’s a proof of his love” until “not these Shrewsbury prudes” in order to convey your interpretation of how Dabby views love. As a designer, outline your ideas for set design and lighting design for this extract. Explain and justify how these ideas reveal an appropriate setting and style for this moment.

ACT TWO, SCENE TEN Explain and justify how you would direct the performers from “Phillip: Liz Morden. You must speak the truth” until “Liz: elegancy and clarity their own worth demands” in order to convey your interpretation of the justice system in the first colony. As a performer, explain and justify how you would perform the role of Major Ross from the line “convict code of honour” until “I hate this possum place” in order to convey your interpretation of the role. As a designer, outline your ideas for costume design or set design for this extract. Explain and justify how these ideas create the appropriate period and style for your production.

ACT TWO, SCENE EIGHT AND NINE Explain and justify how you would direct the performers of Ralph and Mary in Scene Nine in order to convey your interpretation of their relationship. As a performer, explain and justify how you would perform the role of Duckling in Scene Eight in order to convey your interpretation of her sorrow in losing Harry. As a designer, outline your ideas for lighting design or sound design for Scene Nine only. Explain and justify how your ideas convey an appropriate mood and atmosphere for this moment.

TRANSITIONS?

How does one scene transition to the next? Fill in the boxes here to complete your transition list:

SCENE TRANSITION SCENE START A1,S1 A1,S1 A1,S2 A1,S2 A1,S3 A1,S3 A1,S4 A1,S4 A1,S5 A1,S5 A1,S6 A1,S6 A1,S7 A1,S7 A1,S8 A1S9 A1,S10 A1,S10 A1,S11 A1,S11 INTERVAL INTERVAL A2,S1 A2,S1 A2,S2 A2,S2 A2,S3 A2,S3 A2,S4 A2,S4 A2,S6 A2,S5 A2,S7 A2,S6 A2,S8 A2,S7 A2,S9 A2,S8 A2,S10 A2,S9 A2,S11 A2,S10 A2,S11 A2,S11 FINISH.

COSTUME DESIGN: OFFICERS

Designing for the Officers is simpler than the convicts: Know who is Navy and who are Marines. Know the basic Officer uniform: then adapt for personality/ scene

position Know why an officer may have Epaulettes- and how you might use this

to show power/hierarchy in your designs. Know what the Reverend would wear too! Use the correct terminology to describe your designs

RALPH CLARK (Act One, Scene Six) GOVERNOR PHILLIP (Act Two, Scene Ten) (Sketch)

(Sketch)

(Describe)

(Describe)

Colour

Condition

Cut

Ornamentation

Style

Texture

Un(fit)

Material

Expressing (what it expresses about the character)

MULTI-ROLING? The doubling in the original 1988 performance was significant, see how the characters were paired below:

Captain Arthur Phillip / John Wisehammer

Major Robbie Ross / Ketch Freeman

Captain David Collins / Robert Sideway

Captain Watkin Tench / Black Caesar / Aborigine

Captain Jemmy Campbell / Harry Brewer / Arscott

Reverend Johnson / Liz Morden

Lieutenant George Johnston / Mary Brenham

Lieutenant Will Dawes / Meg Long / Duckling Smith

Second Lieutenant Ralph Clark

Second Lieutenant William Faddy / Dabby Bryant

MAJOR ROSS (Act Two, Scene Five) HARRY BREWER (Act One, Scene Four) (Sketch)

(Sketch)

(Describe)

(Describe)

COSTUME DESIGN: CONVICTS

Designing for the convicts needs a little more individual consideration. Know what is historically accurate for clothing of this period Know what options convict were given for clothing Think about conditions the convicts faced Express different personalities with fit/ colour/ ornamentation

MARY BRENHAM (Act One, Scene Eight) DABBY BRYANT (Act One, Scene Eight) (Sketch)

(Sketch)

(Describe)

(Describe)

BLACK CAESER (Act One, Scene Eleven) (Sketch)

(Describe)

LIZ MORDEN (Act Two, Scene One) DUCKLING SMITH (Act Two, Scene Eight) (Sketch)

(Sketch)

(Describe)

(Describe)

JOHN WISEHAMMER (Act One, Scene Ten) JOHN ARSCOTT (Act Two, Scene One) (Sketch)

(Sketch)

(Describe)

(Describe)

AND THE ABORIGINE?

(Sketch)

(Describe)

ROBERT SIDEWAY (Act One, Scene Five) KETCH FREEMAN (Act One, Scene Nine) (Sketch)

(Sketch)

(Describe)

(Describe)

LIGHTING AND SOUND RESEARCH

USE THIS PAGE TO MAKE NOTES ON RESEARCH COMPLETED TO AID YOUR LIGHTING/SOUND DESIGN: -THIS COULD BE LIGHTING STATES WRITTEN OUT- FOR EXAMPLE- A SCENE IN THE SUN/ A SCENE AT NIGHT/CREATING WATER. -RESEARCH COMPLETED INTO SPECIFIC DESIGNERS WHO INFLUENCE YOUR DESIGN IDEAS -RESEARCHING NATIVE AUSTRALIAN SOUNDS: ANIMAL SOUNDS -WRITING OUT COMPOSITION IDEAS FOR ATMOSPHERIC MUSIC

ACHIEVING SUCCESS IN THE EXAM

ANSWER THE QUESTION! Look carefully at the demands and command words involved:

‘You must make specific reference to the social, cultural and/or historical context of Our Country’s Good in your answers” = Justify answers with context as part of your why!

“ensure that your interpretive ideas are appropriate to the play as a whole” = See an extract as part of the bigger picture- don’t jump around stylistically!

“Explain and Justify”

= Give detail and say why!

USE THE PRINTED EXTRACT AND KNOW YOUR TIME BOUNDARIES!

Spend a little time ANNOTATING the extract: line off your directing and acting extracts/ highlight or underline key quotes/ write on your intentions

STICK TO TIMINGS! Also be aware of personal limits: through practice essays-you will be aware of how much you can cover whilst maintaining a good standard of response: if you can only write up 6 quotes- write them up well!

BE AWARE OF OPEN OR CLOSED QUESTIONS!

Open= will ask for your interpretation which must be given in your introduction

Closed= will give you an interpretation to respond to: i.e. “Ross’s angry attitude” or ‘Phillip’s compassion”

SEE THE QUESTION AS 3 PARTS OF A WHOLE!

No need for 3 Introductions: One main introduction plus intentions at the start of each question. The extract is a whole moment- see the whole moment!

WRITING FRAMES AND PROMPTS

Use these quick reminders of structuring your answer as a prompt for writing: DIRECTOR:

1. Intentions for Extract: links to context/ key messages/research

2. Choose a moment of Act/React: Explain what happens on stage then justify why you asked your actors to do this/what it shows the audience

3. Repeat step 2 until time is up!

PERFORMER: 1. Intentions for Role: show you know

who they are! 2. Choose a quotation:

QUOTE ACT WHY (*including context)

3. Repeat Step 2 until time is up!

SET DESIGN: 1. Intentions for design:

setting/atmosphere or both? 2. Research/ reinforcing style? 3. Composite Set Sketch- labelled 4. Describe of your composite set:

a) Stage configuration b) Levels c) Set items inc. backdrop

5. Scene specific Sketch 6. Describe Scene specifics

*Back each description with a justification (explain and justify!)- get context in where possible!

COSTUME DESIGN: 1. Intention for design: personality/

period specific/ realistic or abstract? 2. Research? 3. For each character required: start at

the underwear and work outwards! a) Underwear b) Shirt/trousers/slip c) Waistcoats/dresses/bodices/a

prons d) Ornamentation:

accessories/shoes e) Hair/health

*Support descriptions with a sketch of character *Justify each description against context/historical accuracy/ character personality/ scene placement in play

LIGHTING or SOUNDDESIGN: 1. Intentions for design: setting or atmosphere? Realistic or abstract? 2. Research/ reinforcing style 3. Describe light state or sound in detail:

a) What is it? Live/found/recorded… lantern/profile/spot/flood… b) Where is it coming from? Angle? Which rig? Speaker position? c) How long does it last? How does it begin/end? What is the prompt for it

to happen in the scene? Intensity? Volume? d) Colour/ effect?

*Justify each full description (a complete sound/light state) with reasons why- using context where possible *Include a sketch of speaker positions in auditorium/ light positions on rig *Include a sketch/sketches of what is being lit on stage if restricting the light to a certain area of the stage

CONTEXT: REVISION MAP

USE THIS DOUBLE PAGE SPREAD TO BUILD A MIND MAP OF CONTEXT FACTS, THEMES AND INFORMATION AS A REVISION MAP FOR OCG.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT: ENGLAND AND CONDITIONS/GEORGIAN JUSTICE SYSTEM/ EXPECTATIONS OF WOMEN/ TRANSPORTATION/ FIRST COLONY/MILITARY ROLES/80S WELFARE STATE/ PLAYWRIGHT/ GENESIS OF THE PLAY…

TERMINOLOGY TO REMEMBER!

WELL… ITS NO FUN IF I GAVE YOU ALL THE TERMINOLOGY! BUILD A GLOSSARY OF TERMS AS YOU STUDY THE PLAY: INCLUDING DESIGN TERMINOLOGY, AND PRACTICE BASED TERMINOLOGY TO BRING YOUR THEORY TO LIFE!

“A play should make you understand something new. If it tells you what you already know, you leave it as ignorant as

you went in” -John Wisehammer

set text prompt copy - the highfield school

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