18 AQA A-Level Drama: Play Guide: Our Country's Good Task Scene 6 introduces us to Ross. Consider what you want the rst impression of this important character to be. Task The stage directions for Scene 6 say that the men have been drinking and it is late at night. Think of at least three ways this might affect how the scene is performed and designed. Tip While reading the play, make a note of when exits and entrances occur and what effects you want to achieve with the staging of them. Scene 7: Harry and Duckling Go Rowing Harry takes a morose Duckling out in a rowing boat and comments on the new buildings and plants. Duckling says she wishes she was in England. She complains that she has no one to talk to and that her friends are in the women’s camp. Harry shows his jealousy, accusing her of going off with men like Handy Baker. He calls her a ‘ lthy whore,’ then apologises. Duckling feels trapped by their relationship. Harry asks if she would like to be in the play, but warns her not to try anything with Ralph. Scene 8: The Women Learn Their Lines Dabby is yearning for Devon when Mary reminds her that they must learn their lines. Dabby tells Mary that Ralph is attracted to her. Mary angrily accuses Dabby of having sold her to a sailor on the voyage for extra rations. Mary wonders how she could play someone so different from her as Silvia. They begin running lines, when they are interrupted by Liz, who demands that Mary helps with her lines. Liz lunges at Dabby when Dabby says she can’t read. When Ketch Freeman arrives, Liz angrily berates him, saying that he has ‘turned’ on his ‘own kind’ by becoming a hangman. Scene 9: Ralph Clark Tries to Kiss His Dear Wife’s Picture At almost midnight, Ralph speaks to his wife’s portrait and reads passages from the Bible. He kisses her picture. Ketch enters and recounts how he came to be a convict. He claims he was only the lookout for a theft and murder. To save himself, he gave evidence against others. Then, at the colony, he was a lookout for the theft of the stores. He became the hangman rather than being hung. He ends by asking to be in the play. Scene 10: Wisehammer and Mary Exchange Words Mary is copying out the scripts of The Recruiting Of cer when John Wisehammer discusses his passion for words. She suggests that he can help to copy out the scripts. Task Scene 10 has a great deal of subtext, with Wisehammer, in particular, meaning more than he is saying. Locate at least three lines where you believe there is a hidden intention behind his lines, and explain how that would in uence how they are performed. Scene 11: The First Rehearsal Ralph welcomes the actor-convicts. He announces the cast, while the women argue. The actors who are to play Captain Plume and Sergeant Kite aren’t there. They begin rehearsing with Ralph reading Plume. Sideway accuses someone of stealing his handkerchief, which he needs for his entrance as Mr Worthy. He attacks Liz, but is coaxed back to rehearsing, where he makes some bold performance choices. Ralph encourages him to just say the lines. Caesar rushes in, declaring that he will play Worthy’s servant. Ralph tries to show Liz how to act like a rich woman. The convicts imagine they have all the food they could eat. Ross arrives, saying that the two actors who didn’t arrive for the rehearsal have stolen food and run away. Ross accuses Wisehammer, Caesar and Liz of being complicit in the escape, thus destroying the rehearsal. Copyright: Sample material
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