ancestors. This results in some diverting dialogue."
Set in the interior of a hut in the Gippsland forest, in the 1850s, the play has six characters. Donald Cameron, an honest dour Scot, and Mary, his wife, whom he picked off the boat at the wharf, are pioneers sharing a strange, strong love. Thad McNab, the double-crossing shanty keeper, and McLaughlin, a trooper, pursue two escaped convicts, Dan and Steve. Mary befriends them during Donald's absence. Donald, McNab and McLaughlin return. Mary successfully conceals the fact that the convicts have been at the hut from all but Donald. He cannot understand her charity and humanity, but admires her strength of character. (Abstract adapted from The Campbell Howard Annotated Index of Australian Plays 1920-1955)
Characters
The Pioneers:
DONALD CAMERON
MARY CAMERON his wife
Escaped Convicts:
DAN FARRELL
STEVE
Shanty keeper:
THAD M'NAB
The trooper:
M'LAUGHLIN
This comedic play follows four principal characters as they gather on the veranda of the Bishop's home and inspect his pearls. The conversation turns to ghosts and the Bishop reveals that he suspects he has received visits from the ghost of John Dampier, the buccaneer. As it turns out, "the ghost" in question is one of the four people on the veranda, not a ghost but a thief intent on stealing his pearls.
Described in the Maitland Daily Mercury as 'a whimsical comedy of farm life' ('Radio Drama Week,' p.8), Simpson 'introduces a fine character in Grannie, a vigorous old matriarch, ruling a large and sprawling country family with an unbending authority' ('Australian Radio Drama Week,' p.6).
Alexander Turner provides a glimpse into the lives of a married English couple who go on the land after arriving in the country.
Set in a log cabin in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales during the early goldrush era, Burton and Lucy are two runaway convicts who have hewn out a primitive existence in the harsh bushland. The story begins in the morning, shortly after Lucy has given birth to a son. Burton, a quiet, strong and apparently educated man is tending to the house and his 'wife'. As they consider the impact of the child on their already meagre lives, a prospector, lost during the course of a drunken spree, wanders into their lives. They feed him from their limited supply of food while he gloats about the gold he has found, showing them the nuggets. Each has been named after the use he will put them to. As he sobers up the stranger becomes wary and suspicious of the couple and rightly guesses who they are. He leaves, and shortly afterwards is followed by Burton, armed with his rifle.
Writing of the play in the Australian Women's Weekly following its publication in Best Australian One-Act Plays, Leslie Haylen writes: 'It succeeds on its dramatic situation, the texture of its writing and its craftsmanship. In some respects it is not a "nice" play and is probably all the better for that. It has an ugly ending, in the tragic manner, uses the convict theme, and no doubt if produced someone would want to ban it. Still, it is a brilliant play in every way' (18 September 1937, p.30).
