Reviews

Our Country's Good by Timberlake Wertenbaker

Only show reviews with written explanations

clairewilsonleeds's review

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3.0

Probably should have watched rather than read.

spiderharms's review

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challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

sunshine_10606's review

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dark emotional informative fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

Wertenbaker perfectly illustrates police brutality in the late 18th century. She creates some lovable characters and breaks down the stereotypes around convicts having specific physical attributes by having the actors multi-role, each playing a convict and an officer.

I think some of the themes in this play are stronger than others, for example, the cruelty of the criminal justice system is a central theme throughout the book, whereas the impact of colonisation isn’t focussed on as much.

Content Warnings

iamjudgedredd's review

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5.0

One of my all time favourite plays. Sure we put it on during sixth form, and I was in it, but the play itself is an actor's play. It covers so many different themes, but the dialogue is so well written, it's funny, it's tender, it's heart breaking, all set on a bleak convict style background. It might be a little sanctimonious with it's messages of redemption through theatre (through itself..) but dammit if I don't just love it and love seeing people be able to find freedom from a colonialist, and oppressive regime by learning empathy and seeing that change wrought in people.

dhwan's review

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adventurous challenging dark emotional tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

nkarlz's review against another edition

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3.0

This was a read for my course. I did enjoy this, but I really think it's always better to see a play performed rather than just to read the script. Some parts were brutally hilarious, and I do quite like the story. I just think some of it gets lost when you read it as a text, which means I didn't find it as impactful as I probably would have otherwise.

angelsubrinaa's review against another edition

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3.75

We're doing this play for Drama and it's really interesting. We just got given our lines and I'm playing Ketch Freeman and Reverend Johnson.

UPDATE: I’m neither of them now, I’m just playing Lieutenant Ralph Clark due to covid circumstances and I have the most boring part in the most boring scene. At least I didn’t have many lines to learn but wtf will I be doing when I don’t speak for a whole page? Stand awkwardly??
I’ve realised that none of the characters in the book are actually straight (apart from the hypocritical pricks who pay for prostitutes’ bodies yet decide to say they’re a disgrace like wtf dude) Here is a list of the sexuality of the characters:

-Ralph Clark is queer. yes.
-Mary Brenham is bisexual.
-Shitty Meg is pansexual. I HAVE EVIDENCE TOO (‘I can play with any part you like, Lieutenant’)
-Dabby Bryant is a feminist QUEEN! love her so much. she’s 100% lesbian
-Liz Morden is also lesbian
-Wisehammer is gay
-Ketch Freeman is ace
-Robbie Ross is gay and an iconic Scottish man. I would’ve killed to play him in the scene I’m doing, there’s this particular paragraph which is so iconic ugh
-Sideway OMG I WOULD’VE LOVED TO PLAY HIM he’s very very gay
-Duckling is a lesbian
-Harry Brewer... I don’t even know

And there are the other less important characters I can’t remember. This play is actually way better than I thought it was.