West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds – until Saturday 21st April 2018
Reviewed By Dawn Smallwood
5*****
Ramps on the Moon work in partnership with six National Portfolio Organisation theatres which include the West Yorkshire Playhouse and they produce touring shows. Ramps on the Moon take pride with integrating deaf, disabled and non-disabled performers in their joint productions including this current production, Our Country’s Good. Our Country’s Good on this occasion is directed by Fiona Buffini from the Nottingham Playhouse and is visiting the six theatres on its tour.
Timberlake Wertenbaker’s Our Country’s Good, written in 1988, is based on a true story about the lives of both the transported convicts and officers in Australia’s first penal colony. In the story the convicts rehearse and perform George Farquhar’s The Recruiting Officer – the first ever theatre production done in Australia. This production is adapted from the Thomas Keneally’s novel, The Playmaker.
The Colony and the penal system were set at a time where the Georgian literally classed criminals and they were condemned for rest of their lives. In some cases it is alleged that some of the convicts were wrongly committed and some characters in the play reveal such injustices particularly with Liz Morden (Ghemisola Ikumelo).
Buffini follows Wertenbaker’s footsteps to use Our Country’s Good as grounds that people can change and be more so especially being offered a role in the play. The convicts in the play think they that they are nothing else but a convict however they learn that humanity allows them to look at themselves more openly. The officers also learn to have empathy and openness with them and this is especially the case with Second Lieutenant Ralph Clark (Tim Pritchett) who directs the play.
The play certainly teaches one how important it is to take note of how people change, transform and do better things in their lives and should not judge on existing stereotypes and appearances. It is emphasised that it isn’t easy because of society attitudes and domineering views particularly festered from the social and legal systems firmly established at the time. The characters’ rehearsals offer the opportunity for the audience to know some of the characters better and individually. An appreciation is gained from Our Country’s Good and how they ended up being convicts and mitigating circumstances such as the social injustices and inequalities.
It is about seeing the characters for who they are as people inside and not by the convicts’ appearances or numbers. This production is so relevant today – true there is more equality but still there is a lot of social inequalities and financial deprivation in many pockets of society which causes divisions and misunderstandings.
This unique production is so easy to follow and understand. It is importantly accessible for the deaf members of the audience particularly with subtitles, audio description and sign language which the latter is integrated successfully in the play. It is heartening to see deaf, disabled and non-disabled performers work in harmony in delivering a humbling and moving performance. A credit to Ramps on the Moon to successfully co-ordinate this and give such performers an opportunity to express creatively and work in the theatre.
Neil Murray’s spacious effective staging brings out the well made and superbly directed production and is complimented with Mark Jonathan’s lighting and Jon Nicholls’ soundscapes. It is certainly a production to see while it tours and figuratively as well as physically transports the convicts and officers journey from beginning to end. Our Country’s Good is not to be missed!