After years of drought, selectors Joe and Ellie have reached their breaking point. In fact the struggle has brought them to the brink of madness. The pair argue and reminisce about everything and nothing before Joe finally decides in a moment of clarity that Ellie should leave and go back to her family in the city. Although she is somewhat hesitant Joe begs her to go quickly before his sanity leaves him. Ellie gathers a few possessions and walks to the door. As she is about to leave she notices that the sky is getting dark. 'Clouds cranking' up a bit I expect,' says Joe, in reference to the smoke from the incessant bushfires. Ellie leaves and shortly afterwards Joe turns his rifle on himself. At the same time he fires the gun a crack of thunder is heard, followed by the sound of wild rain. Moments later his wife rushes in....
The play is set entirely within the livingroom of a bush shanty situated near the Bogan River, New South Wales.
Set in a small bush shanty in outback New South Wales a husband and wife reach breaking point in the struggle against drought.
First produced by the Presbyterian Ladies' College Old Collegians' Association at the Playhouse, Melbourne, 24-25 June 1924.
Revivals of Drought have included:
1924: Playhouse, Melbourne (Victoria); 24 June
1934: St. Martin's Theatre, Camden, London (England); 3 June
1936: [no details], Sydney; 26 March
1936: Little Theatre, Sydney; 13 June
1936: The Repertory Club Theatre, Perth; 2 July
1936: Bryant's Playhouse, Darlinghurst (Sydney); 4 December
1959: Ipswich Civic Hall, Ipswich (Queensland); 16 July
1960: Union Hall, Adelaide; 12 April
1964: Albert Hall, Brisbane; 30 September
A rehearsed reading of Drought and two other Armstrong plays (Thomas and Penny Dreadful), produced by Music Theatre Porjects, was given at the 2021 Gunning Arts Festival, 24 April 2021 at Dalton Hall, Dalton (matinee) and at the Picture House Gallery, Gunning (evening).
Cast: Chris Carroll, Heather Keens, Holly Ross, and Dianna Nixon.
Contemporary Settler Literature : Resources for Students and Teachers
St Lucia
:
AustLit: The Australian Literature Resource
,
2017
13356230
2017
single work
multimedia
bibliography
'Here you will find an introduction to settler colonial theory and contemporary settler colonial literature. This exhibition is intended to survey the major and minor authors, works, and ideas involved with settler colonial writing in Australia, and, to a lesser extent, the United States, since the 1990s.
'In addition to the overview statements on this page, you can click on other tabs to see timeline of publication dates in historical context, a glossary of common terms, an annotated bibliography of primary and secondary sources, brief discussions of themes and motifs useful for student researchers and teachers interested in including settler colonialism in their curricula, and information about comparative settler colonial studies between Australia and the US.'
Source: Abstract.
Discusses Armstrong's successful play Drought which was performed in London at St Martin's Theatre subsequent to winning praise in Australia.
Also provides details of Armstrong's war service and establishment of a soldier settler farm which she received after returning from active nursing duty in France.
Discusses Armstrong's successful play Drought which was performed in London at St Martin's Theatre subsequent to winning praise in Australia.
Also provides details of Armstrong's war service and establishment of a soldier settler farm which she received after returning from active nursing duty in France.
Contemporary Settler Literature : Resources for Students and Teachers
St Lucia
:
AustLit: The Australian Literature Resource
,
2017
13356230
2017
single work
multimedia
bibliography
'Here you will find an introduction to settler colonial theory and contemporary settler colonial literature. This exhibition is intended to survey the major and minor authors, works, and ideas involved with settler colonial writing in Australia, and, to a lesser extent, the United States, since the 1990s.
'In addition to the overview statements on this page, you can click on other tabs to see timeline of publication dates in historical context, a glossary of common terms, an annotated bibliography of primary and secondary sources, brief discussions of themes and motifs useful for student researchers and teachers interested in including settler colonialism in their curricula, and information about comparative settler colonial studies between Australia and the US.'
Source: Abstract.
