Tonbridge School: Our Country’s Good – Capturing the Power of Theatre
As an NSTA representative, I had the pleasure of attending a school production of Timberlake Wertenbaker’s Our Country’s Good on the evening of Friday 28 November 2025. In a production by Tonbridge School, featuring pupils from Hillview School for Girls and Tonbridge Grammar School, this company of young people masterfully embraced the challenge of producing a play whose key messages include the unifying and transformative power of theatre. This production certainly achieved that unification and took us all on that journey with them. Director Gavin Bruce’s brilliant concept engaged the audience throughout, presenting a professional realisation of Wertenbaker’s timeless play.
Our Country’s Good was written by Wertenbaker in 1988, based on Thomas Keneally’s novel The Playmaker. The drama juxtaposes the brutal reality of Australia’s first penal colony with the transformative power of theatre, as a group of British officers and transported convicts attempt to stage a performance of The Recruiting Officer. The play premiered at London’s Royal Court Theatre in 1988 and later transferred to Broadway in 1991. Our Country’s Good was critically acclaimed and won several major awards, including the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play.
Gavin Bruce’s design, constructed by Chris Burden, ensured that the audience was immersed in the production from the moment we entered the theatre. The intermittent whipping of Sideway, played by Angus, with a heavy leather strap was accompanied by his groans, punctuated by the monotonous counting of Gordon’s presentation of Ralph. This made the moment uncomfortable and inescapable. Lighting designer Liam Fahey’s emotive use of subdued hues emphasised the turbulent voyage across the seas and the shared struggle of all on board. This beautifully contrasted with the simplicity of Chris Burden’s staging, with its canvas and wooden base, further enhanced by a shifting colour palette of pastels followed by a sepia wash to highlight the raw conditions and hardships faced. Helen Chappenden’s costume designs supported the characterisation of each role, with clear reminders of the historical realities of the penal colony. Taking the audience back to the eighteenth century, the vibrant uniforms contrasted effectively with the looser, paler designs of the convicts, reflecting the different societies forced together and the prevailing social attitudes of the time.
The inclusion of recorded performance by Gregory Fryer as the Aborigine was an inspired choice, merging an authentic voice with a modern medium. This approach made the role relatable to a contemporary audience while highlighting the sense of separation and division between the penal colony and the original inhabitants, ultimately making us outsiders too.
An effective ensemble piece, all cast members executed their roles with efficiency and aplomb. Scenes flowed seemingly effortlessly, with a variety of presentations of scene titles, including projection and printed text on set pieces or props. While ropes were pulled, canvas drawn or hung, and rostra trucked into place, the focus remained firmly on maintaining the atmosphere of each moment and driving the narrative forward. Tom Tolond had clearly supported the director’s vision.
Powerful performances from a talented principal cast professionally wove together the narrative. Gordon’s portrayal of Ralph captured the character’s awkwardness and naivety, building convincingly towards the stronger figure seen in the final scenes. His interactions with Mary, sensitively played by Erin, developed gradually as the characters spent more time together, leaving the audience comforted by their relationship. In a striking display of versatility, Sam played both Captain Phillip and Wisehammar. As Captain Phillip, he was dominant and controlled. His use of space reflected his authority among the officers, and his clipped, authoritative delivery was well judged. In contrast, Sam’s portrayal of Wisehammer, with his love of language, was delivered gently and kindly, with a deferential reverence conveyed through lilting tones.
The supporting cast were no less impressive, strengthening the narrative flow, adding both nuance and momentum to key moments and reinforcing the production’s overall sense of cohesion and professionalism. Several of these performances deserve special mention here. Angus was a strong performer in the dual roles of Sideway and Captain Collins. As Sideway, he demonstrated a confident stage presence, finessed with flourishes and melodramatic gestures that ensured the character was memorable and amusing. His skilful use of timing and his engagement with every moment on stage, even when not speaking, held the audience’s attention. The contrast with his portrayal of the official and sensible Collins was clearly achieved through changes in accent and posture, effectively demonstrating differences in rank and social status.
Anna, as Dabby, delivered confident lines with mischievous and sarcastic tones perfectly suited to the role of the faithful and feisty friend, providing comic relief through her use of pace and pause. Hermione, as Duckling, offered sharp asides and established a volatile and thorny relationship with the angry Morden, ably played by Evie, whose closed body language and scowl captured the frustration and struggle of her character.
The other officers, played by Seb, Charlie, Paul, Ashton, Andro, Lorenzo, Huw, Ohinoyi and Monty, all performed well, each having moments that impressed. Of particular note was Seb’s vicious delivery of Ross’s lines, spitting his words with venom and disgust.
Our Country’s Good is a poignant tale that promotes the importance of resilience and kindness in the face of adversity. This school production, and its talented cast, fully embraced these themes and provided an excellent example of the transformative power of theatre to educate, entertain and empower its audience. A highly enjoyable evening.
National School Theatre Awards
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