Conviction single work   drama  
Issue Details: First known date: 2001... 2001 Conviction
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AbstractHistoryArchive Description

'In 1837 Sir John Franklin, Arctic explorer and a man who could not bear to witness the punishment of his own men, arrives as Governor of the penal colony, Van Diemen's Land. Conviction is the story of those unfortunate years.

'The well-meaning but politically naive Sir John is accompanied by his wife Jane, a vivacious, courageous, meddlesome blue-stocking determined to transform Hobart Town into the cultural capital of the southern hemisphere, and by his friend the reformer Alexander Machonochie.

'The idealistic Franklins find themselves in increasing conflict with the pragmatic Colonial Secretary, John Montagu, who is implacably opposed to any changes to the system he has been administering for years. An exploration of what happens when people pursue their convictions, the play shows how Montagu becomes a Machiavellian schemer, undermining Lady Jane's plans for reform and engineering the dismissal first of Machonochie and finally of Governor Franklin.'

Source: Australian Plays.

Production Details

  • Produced by Centre Stage and directed by Peter Hammond at Inveresk, Launceston as part of the 2003 Tasmanian Reader' and Writers' Festival, 2-6 April 2003.

Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of

Last amended 2 Jul 2018 12:47:37
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  • Hobart, Southeast Tasmania, Tasmania,
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