Our Country's Good

Louise Gold appeared as Liz Morden/Lieutenant Will Dawes at Edinburgh Royal Lyceum, (previews on 14 September) 15 September - 7 October 1995

Cast

Captain Arthur Philip, Royal Navy, Governor-in-Chief of New South Wales – Max Gold

Major Robbie Ross, Royal Marines – Eric Barlow

Captain David Collins, RM Advocate General – Jimmy Chisholm

Captain Watkin Tench, RM – David Baker

Captain Jeremy Campbell, RM – Sean Baker

Reverend Johnson – Ann Louise Ross

Lieutenant George Johnston, RM – Louise Ironside

Lieutenant Will Daws, RM – Louise Gold

Second Lieutenant Ralph Clark, RM – Tom McGovern

Second Lieutenant William Faddy, RM – Jayne McKenna

Midshipman Harry Brewer, RN, Provost Marshal – Sean Baker

Aborigine – David Baker

John Arscott – Sean Baker

Black Caesar – David Baker

Ketch Freeman – Eric Barlow

Robert Sideway – Jimmy Chisholm

John Wisehammer – Max Gold

Mary Brenham – Louise Ironside

Dabby Bryant – Ann Louise Ross

Liz Morden – Louise Gold

Duckling Smith – Jayne McKenna

Meg Long – Ann Louise Ross

Production Team

 Author - Timberlake Wertenbaker

Derived from the novel 'The Playmaker' by Thomas Keneally

The first performance of Our Country’s Good was on 10 September 1988 at the Royal Court Theatre, London (with Linda Bassett as Lieutenant Will Dawes RM/Liz Morden, and, Ron Cook as Captain Arthur Phillip RN/John Wisehammer)

Director - Caroline Hall

Designer - Matthew Wright

Lighting – Stella Goldie

Fight Director – Denis Agnew

Dialect Coach – Ros Steen

ASM on Book – Jill Davey

The play is basically about a group on convicts in a New South Wales prison putting on a production of 'The Recruiting Officer' by George Farquhar

Louise Gold and Max Gold had previously been roped into appearing with the politically motivated semi-professional Fall Out group.

All of the cast went on to appear in the Edinburgh Lyceum's production of The Caucasian Chalk Circle.

Jimmy Chisholm and Louise Gold went on to appear in Gypsy.

Most of the critics commented on how well the ensemble of 10 actors worked together, this may or may not have been helped by the fact that the cast included a pair of real-life siblings.

Critics Comments

 " ... the excellent cast which includes Jimmy Chisholm, David Baker, Louise Gold and Ann Louise Ross" Thorn Dibdin THE STAGE

“I gave up trying to select star performances among this big 10-strong cast, already working as a tight ensemble and showing tremendous promise for the season ahead.” Mark Fisher, HERALD, 16 September 1995

 "This is one of the best plays of the 1980's and the 10 actors in 22 parts give an impressive account of company playing" John Peter, SUNDAY TIMES, 24 September 1995

"A ten-strong ensemble is lead commandingly by Max Gold, Sean Baker, Eric Barlow and Louise Gold" Paula Webb, SCOTSMAN, 18 September 1995

Links about Our Country's Good

Muppet Central/Tibby's Bowl Interview with Louise Gold http://www.muppetcentral.com/articles/interviews/gold.shtml This interview mentions Louise's work at The Edinburgh Lyceum, although the two shows are not named, she is evidently referring to Our Country's Good and The Caucasian Chalk Circle.

STA (Scottish Theatre Archive) Catalogue entry for this show: http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/sta/search/detaile.cfm?EID=16421

Wikipedia’s entry for the play itself (which may make interesting reading): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Country's_Good

Johnny Johnson review: http://www.qsulis.demon.co.uk/Reviews/Johnny_Johnson.htm - Not really anything to do with Our Country’s Good, but as one of the cast members from this production of our Country’s Good happened to be the leading man in this Lost Musicals rediscovery of a piece of vintage 1930s American political theatre, might as well include a link to a review of it.

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