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).
First produced under the auspices of the Melbourne Little Theatre.
Included in the Playwrights' Advisory Board list of Australian plays. The Playwright's Advisory Board was a Sydney organisation that encouraged the perfomance of and sponsored the publication of Australian plays.
Source: https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-526714238, Page 19
1932: Kiosk Theatre, Fawkner Park, South Yarra, Melbourne; 2 June [World premiere]
Source: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/147287244
1939: Independent Theatre Clubrooms, 175 Pitt St, Sydney; 17 August
Sources: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/247776682
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/231403760
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17612698
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17602644.
1940: Workers' Art Club, 36 Pitt Street, Sydney; 11 and18 February.
Sources: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17662911
https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/210477013
1940: Maryborough; 17 May
Source: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/151355072
1941: Easter Festival of Drama; Careel Head, Whale Beach, NSW; 13 April
Source: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17718730
1942: Congregational Hall, Katoomba, NSW; 19 August
Source: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/189907610
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.
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.
