Officers Characteristics Convicts Characteristics

CAPTAIN Royal Navy JOHN - Arscott is a hopeless convict, with no enthusiasm left for life anymore
ARTHUR PHILLIP - Based on a real character ARSCOTT - This hopelessness becomes apparent in Act 2, Scene 1 when he says ‘there’s no escape I tell you’
- The real arthur phillip had been called out of retirement to take on the position of governor of the - His hopelessness becomes more apparent when it is revealed that the compass he bought from a sailor is actually a piece of
first fleet to Australia paper with ‘North’ on it - depending on the delivery, this line can be full of humour or pathos
- He is a calm, wise and controlled leader - He eventually becomes most lost in the play, claiming that when he plays kite he finds a different way of ‘escape’ through
- This juxtaposes characters such as Tench and Ross theatre - link to power of language and theatre as a humanising force (playwrightís aims) giving the convicts a purpose and
- He shows obvious patience and understanding towards the convicts, particularly Liz meaning
- He is intellectual = power of language and education, he believes that power of language can - Based on a real character
rehabilitate the convicts and he is proven right - The real Arscott never actually tried to escape and got rich enough after his liberation to return to England
- Supports the play

MAJOR ROBBIE - Royal Marine JAMES - He is transported to Australia for the killing of a sailor who broke a strike
ROSS - Based on a real character FREEMAN - He is made hangman of the colony when he is told ‘hang or be hanged’
- The real Robbie Ross had previously been on the losing side of the US War of Independence (KETCH) - Being a hangman consequently means that he finds it hard to be accepted as he is not accepted by many of the other convicts,
- In the play, Ross refers to this in act 2 scene 10 for example Liz Morden
- He feels that he is being blamed for this war and this may be reasoning behind some of his - He exchanges words with Ralph in Act 1, Scene 9
bitterness - He explains how he came to be in his situation, blaming a mix of reasons including leaving Ireland
- He is vile and power obsessed - In these scene, you also see his desperation to be an actor in the play
- He dislikes the convicts and believes that their punishment should be severe
- He is completely against the Recruiting officer and constantly ridicules Ralph for it

CAPTAIN - Royal Marine JOHN - He was transported to Australia for stealing snuff, however he continues to claim his innocence
(JUDGE) DAVID - Collins was appointed as the colonyís judge on arrival WISEHAMMER - He is Jewish, and therefore finds it difficult when characters such as Liz and Ross are anti-semitic
COLLINS - His contribution to conversations are usually from a legal perspective - (could link this to context and how anti-semitism was still prevalent in this time period all over the world - e.g 1772 Jews were
- He approaches subjects very logically (which you could link to his performance, e.g, furrowed even forced to live in their own area of Russia called the pale of settlement)
brows to show concentration, licking bottom lip and looking to the floor in a sense of deep thought - HE IS A CHARACTER THAT DEMONSTRATES THE POWER OF LANGUAGE
process, hand on chin in contemplation etcÖ) - His large knowledge and understanding of words is self taught, and he exclaims that he likes words in Act 1 scene 10
- He fully supports Ralph to stage a play - This is the scene between him and Mary - highlights the power of language in this scene
- He even conducts a vote amongst the officers very logically and justifies all of his comments (Act 1 - He even writes a new prologue to the play, which Ralph doesnít want to use as it is ‘too political’
Scene 6, talk about how you would perform/direct this to show this) - Based on a real character
- Based on a real character) - The real wisehammer would get married and become a merchant after his release = merchant = wealthy, makes a better life
- The real David Collins went on to found the first settlement in Tasmania for himself = power of theatre and language

CAPTAIN WATKIN - Royal Marine BLACK CAESAR - Originally from Madagascar

TENCH - He dislikes the convicts, because they are convicts - He wants to perform in the play, however gets the silent parts
- Whenever he makes any comment about them it is always with sarcasm and maliciousness in mind - Stage fright gets the better of him and in the end he is only made to perform after the most ludicrous threats from his fellow
- He DOES NOT BELIEVE IN REDEMPTION actors
- He regards all the convicts as barbarians - Based on a real character
- Based on a real character - The real black caesar was described as one of the most troublesome convicts and became the colony’s first bushranger
- He also fought on the losing side of the US war of independence (link to his bitter attitude) (runaway)
- He was even captured, transported and exchanged by the enemies, which could explain his - Thus, could describe him as mischievous, sly, mistrustful, cunning etc..
power hungry attitude and disgusting attitude towards the play
- He is against the play

CAPTAIN - Royal Marine ROBERT - A London pickpocket

JEREMY - Scottish SIDEWAY - Sideway tries to act as a cultured man in front of Ralph, but he falls into ëthievesí cantí, which was a secret thieves language,
CAMPBELL - There is a great debate as to whether or not he is actually a drunk as there is nothing in the play to when upset, and thus proves that he is not cultured but over the top
explicitly support this, however evidence suggests that this is very likely - He claims to have seen many theatre pieces, but his acting is over the top and humorous because in the first scene he
- Act 1 Scene 6 for example he comes across as very drunk (which you could link to his costume, accompanies near every word with a gesture
e.g, alcohol stains down it) - However, he IS passionate about theatre which I would make an effort to portray through performing/ directing
- He tends to copy Rossís view on everything, even though he is amused by the concept of a play - He even says that he wants to create a theatre company, and according to Thomas Keneally’s novel, the historical Sideway did
= power of theatre as a socialising tool

REVEREND - Based on a real character DUCKLING - A young thief and prostitute, sentenced to death at just eighteen years old
RICHARD - Well educated, and went to Hull Grammar School followed by Cambridge SMITH - Harry Brewer is desperately in love with her and saves her, and this is a love that for a long time does not appear to be mutual
JOHNSON - In Australia, the real rev. Johnson provided a spiritual life for the convicts and also provided - She only admits to loving Harry when he is close to dying
education to the convicts - She later says she never told him that she loved him because she feared he would become cruel towards her
- He is not against the play, but is more worried with the play going against Christian doctrines - Direct or perform her in a way to be endearingly innocent, yet depressed and feel trapped, isolated, alone and terrified - she
 loves Harry but she is terrified of the consequences of loving him
- There is no record of her being a real character

LIEUTENANT - Royal Marine DABBY - Maryís friend who constantly dreams of returning to Devon, and is very homesick - the idea of Devon pulls her back home
WILLIAM DAWES - He is the colonyís astronomer BRYANT - Although she did sell Mary for food on the ship, she obviously cares for her
- He couldn’t care about the matters on earth - She does enjoy the play, but thinks her character, Rose, should be better
- Therefore, he agrees to the play if he doesnít have to come and watch it - In the final scene, she has plans for escaping that night
- Thus, when directing him, direct him to never have direct eye contact on who he is talking to to - Based on a real character
imply that he is not paying attention, his tone seem distracted and entranced to highlight his lack of - The real MARY (this was her real name ) would indeed become famous for a daring escape in 1791
interest in the conversation - Could link this to when she is desperate to go home = so passionate about it that she eventually does go home
- Could describe his actions as half hearted and withdrawn
- He agrees to the play , as long as he does not have to come and watch it (Act 1 Scene 6)

SECOND - SECOND lieutenant officer MARY - Shy girl

LIEUTENANT - He is therefore a struggling lower officer and desperately wants promotion BRENHAM - Her love for a man ëA.Hí turned her into a thief
RALPH CLARK - When he hears through Harry Brewer that Phillip suggests putting on a play by the convicts, he - She gets as good as dragged to the audition by Dabby Bryant but is offered the main part by Ralph due to the fact that she can
jumps about doing it but NOT because he believes in the power of language or theatre, but read
because he wishes to impress the higher officers in hope of promotion - She gradually opens up as a character, but remains slightly naive in comparison to other people around her (but does make a
- He (and perhaps Liz) is the convict that makes the biggest transformation in the play change/transition as a character)
- You see him transform from a man who is 1) uneasy around women convicts 2) apprehensive - She believes that she is a whore due to her past
about the convicts as does not see any real value in them to 1) a man who is able to fall in love - She also is arguably more modest than the other characters, so in a costume question I would design her to attempt to cover
with a convict because of the power of theatre (link to the power of theatre and theatre as a herself more with the little clothes she had
socialising and humanising force) 2) and a man who has his views about convicts changed, - She finally falls in love with Ralph = power of theatre and language
believing that they can be redeemed - She dreams of a future with him and eventually (irl) they have a baby
- Based on a real character - Based on a real character
- The real Ralph Clark actually had a daughter with Mary Brenham, who he named Betsey Alicia
after his wife in England
- Additionally, in real life he did manage to get his promotion, and became a First Lieutenant in 1792

LIEUTENANT - An officer who is most known for his ëpassioní towards the women LIZ MORDEN - One of the most troublesome women
GEORGE - Based on a real character - Phillip wants to make an example of her through redemption (as he believes that convicts can be redeemed) which is the
JOHNSTON - The real Johnston lived with a convict named Esther Abrahams reason why he wants her in the play
- Could link this to the way in which he looks and the convicts or describes and talks about them - - Liz is accused of stealing food, but does not defend herself at the trial - however the play makes her care about herself enough
little empathy and just really views them as sexual beings to defend herself when given the last chance in Act 2 Scene 10.
- Her name in Keneally’s novel in Nancy Turner, however she cannot be found on the real first fleet of convicts
- Therefore it is largely likely that she is there to symbolise the way in which theatre and the power of language are able to
redeem convicts and make them part of society again = highlight to playwrightís aims

SECOND - He opposes the play simply because he doesnít like Ralph - could link this to the fact that he is MEG LONG/ - She acts as a mandam for the other convicts
LIEUTENANT bitter because Ralph is more likely to get a promotion and therefore direct him in a ‘petty’ manner, SHITTY MEG - She only has a short appearance in the play, but it is a humorous
WILLIAM FADDY e.g rolling eyes, sarcastic, vexed, cold, critical tone, turned up face, scowling, cheerless, hostile
- He is only in Act one scene 6, yet all of his comments in this scene are snides or insults directly at
Ralph
- Could argue that this stems from jealousy

- Harry is an officer, however he is the lowest of the ranks

MIDSHIPMAN - This could explain his control over Duckling, as he wants to control somebody as he himself is
HARRY BREWER controlled and looked down upon by the other officers
- He struggles to find his place in the colony
- Additionally, Harry hanged a man name Handy Baker, and this ghosts torments him awfully - he
tries to seek reassurance in Ralph (he is reliant on others to ease him, Ralph eases him mentally
and Duckling eases him sexually)