16 AQA A Level Drama Set play Our Country's Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker SECTION 2 This section of the book will prepare you for an in-depth study of Our Country’s Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker, based on the novel The Playmaker by Thomas Keneally. As well as familiarising you with the play, you will be introduced to its context, and the many practical considerations involved with directing, acting and designing the play. You will be provided with examples from previous productions and insights from professional theatre makers. As you study and explore the play, consider what you think the playwright’s intentions were and what you might wish to convey to a contemporary audience. Note: Page numbers are taken from the Methuen edition of Our Country’s Good (ISBN 978-1-4742-7444-9). 5 Performance of Our Country's Good by the Naval Academy's Masqueraders troupe, 2017 Theatre maker insight Timberlake Wertenbaker, playwright ‘Though it is set in the 18th century, it is a modern play… about how people are treated, what it means to be brutalised… to live without hope, and how theatre can be a humanising force.’ Theatre maker insight Fiona Buf ni, director ‘Timberlake’s written this wonderful play about justice; about not being trapped in the prison of your own mind; about trying to escape from really limiting thoughts of yourself and other people. Sounds all very difficult and very worthy and it isn’t. She’s written the most beautiful character-based drama, which is also, in many scenes, a comedy.’ Copyright: Sample material
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