Our Country's Good: creation of mood and atmosphere
Our Country’s Good: creation of mood and atmosphere
Creating Mood and Atmosphere through Language
- Much of the play’s mood and atmosphere is crafted through the choice of language and the linguistic styles of the characters. The coarse language of the convincts reflects their harsh reality and contrasts with the more sophisticated language of the officers.
- Dialects and accents are used effectively to capture the diversity of the convict population and to help distinguish between characters, contributing to the atmosphere of a busy, multicultural convict settlement.
- Wertenbaker also incorporates Aboriginal language to contribute to the atmosphere of unfamiliarity and cultural clash, reminding the audience of the indigenous presence in the narrative.
Atmosphere through Stage Directions and Props
- The minimal use of stage props echo the austere and desolate conditions faced by the convicts, contributing to the harsh and severe mood of the play.
- Stage directions indicating physical violence or harsh working conditions help to set the grim and brutal atmosphere of the convict settlement.
- The bare stage and minimalistic scenery further contribute to a sense of emotional bleakness and hardship, amplifying the mood of isolation and estrangement.
Mood and Atmosphere through Metatheatricality
- The play-within-a-play structure creates a theatrical atmosphere, highlighting the transformative power of theatre, and creating mood shifts between the grim reality of convict life and the convicts’ experience in rehearsing for the play.
- Moments of humour and camaraderie during the play rehearsals contrast with the grim daily life of the convicts, creating emotional relief and contributing to a mood of hope and redemption.
Atmosphere through Symbolism and Motif
- The motif of darkness and light is used throughout the play to create mood and atmosphere. Scenes of darkness often symbolise despair and punishment, while moments of light symbolise hope and rehabilitation.
- The symbolism of nature such as the landscape, the sea, and animals helps to set the mood and atmosphere. The harsh Australian landscape reflects the severity of the convicts’ conditions and their feelings of alienation.