Context Flashcards
What was 18th century theatre dominated by?
Restoration comedy
Define restoration comedy
A dramatic genre highly popular during King Charles II’S reign
What was the Georgian era a time of?
Immense inequality and life for the poor was extremely harsh
During the Georgian era, how many hanging offences were concocted?
200
What was prison viewed as?
A place to contain and control the “criminal class” and a way to forget about it
Define mutiny
Rebellion against authority
What was the constant fear of mutiny like?
Very present for the captain and the harsh punishment of flogging was a strong deterrent
Define deterrent
To discourage
Explain the effects of Thatcherism in the 1980s
Arts funding was squeezed to a minimum and there was a tangible sense that the theatre community was under real threat
The sense of devaluation of society resulting = opposite of the play which discovers you can form a community
When did official transportation begin?
1717
During the first fleet, how many people were on board?
1500 and 736 were convicts where 40 died on the voyage
How many miles for how long did the voyage travel?
16,000 miles for 8 months
Which officers are in the navy?
Phillip and Harry
When did the first fleet leave and arrive in Botany Bay Australia?
Left in 1787
Arrived on 26th Jan 1788
When did the transport end?
1868
According to modern day critics, what would have the theatre offered the public an opportunity to?
Experience an upper-class’ persons insight and to share a laugh at them
Give examples of Epic theatre being used in Our country’s good
Multi- rolling
Spoken scene titles to remove tension
Episodic scenes
What does epic theatre focus on?
The psychological, political and social aspects on what it means to be human
Where was our country’s goof first staged and performed?
Royal court theatre 1988
When was the recruiting officer written?
1706
Who wrote the recruiting officer?
George Farquhar
Why was the recruiting officer written?
To satirize the social military practices of its time
What were wertenbaker’s intentions?
Highlight the power of theatre
Criticise the prison system
Expose prisoners to culture and allow them to live differently
What inspired Wertenbaker?
She and Max Stafford Clark watched a play performed entirely by convicts at the Wormwood Scrubs prison in London and she received letter from the convicts saying how much they love acting
