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Our Country's Good Tickets

Lyric Hammersmith

Timberlake Wertenbaker's powerful drama about British prisoners in colonial Australia returns to London, reimagined for the 21st century.

Our Country's Good Tickets: Revisit a Seminal Classic

Over three decades since it first debuted, Olivier Award-winning modern classic Our Country's Good is as powerful as ever in Lyric Hammersmith's timely revival. Timberlake Wertenbaker's play about crime, justice and punishment in an Australian penal colony echoes across the decades in this urgent new production that reflects on the state of criminal justice in the 21st century. Don't miss the chance to see the seminal drama as it returns to London for a limited season this year.

What is Our Country's Good about?

On a ship sailing 15,000 miles to Australia, a group of British convicts are enduring a gruelling journey to begin their sentences. They arrive in 1788, and the cruel reality of their new lives sets in. Amidst the violence and desperation, ambitious young lieutenant Ralph Clark hits on an idea to keep the prisoners in line… they will put on a play.

In Timberlake Wertenbaker's seminal drama about power and justice, a largely illiterate cast, mistrust amongst the actors and a director destined for the gallows come together to create a production like no other. Back on stage in a major London revival and revisited by Wertenbaker for the 21st century, this story about deportation and the British justice system is more relevant than ever before.

A Powerful Classic Revisited - Creative Team

Olivier Award-winning playwright Timberlake Wertenbaker produced an incredible modern classic with Our Country's Good, and in this huge new staging it is directed by Lyric Hammersmith Artistic Director Rachel O'Riordan (A Doll's House; Iphigenia in Splott).

Wertenbaker said of the revival: “Since the play first appeared, some things seem to be repeating themselves like the threat to the theatre and the cruelty of prisons but some perceptions have changed as we have become more aware of certain aspects of our history.”

The duo bring an urgent and compelling new version of the play to the stage, so even if you have seen it before, this is a must-see version.

Tickets For Our Country's Good Available Now

Timberlake Wertenbaker's classic play still packs an emotional punch as it explores the lives of prisoners struggling through punishment, remorse and regret. Experience it for yourself at Lyric Hammersmith with tickets to this unmissable revival - it is a show that everyone will be talking about this year.

Sorry this show closed 05 October 2024, we recommend these similar productions.

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Performance dates:
04 Oct 2024 - 05 Oct 2024
Running time:
2 hours and 25 minutes including an interval.
Age recommendation:
Best for age 14+
Categories:

Our Country's Good Reviews

3.7
26 Reviews
  • 5 Stars15%
  • 4 Stars46%
  • 3 Stars35%
  • 2 Stars4%
  • 1 Stars0%

User Reviews

Verified

This is a period piece, written nearly 40 years ago, which includes a play within this play. Lots of need for clarity of performance and direction, which is not always present. The clarity is not always helped by people playing multiple characters an Read more

Performance date: 12 September 2024
Verified

Lots of meat in here, it just lacks some definition and clarity.

Performance date: 27 September 2024
Verified

Great cast and an interesting and entertaining play

Performance date: 12 September 2024
1/9
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