Initial Reactions To “Our Country’s Good”

After our first reading of “Our Country’s Good” I was intrigued as to the undertone and sub-plot of which the political idea of punishment and retribution is questioned. I found this really quite encouraging as personally I am very interested in politics and how theatre can be used to raise questions to our audiences and this is something that I can explore and develop more as I research my character and the political arguments displayed. I thought that this argument regarding prisons and how convicts are treated and what’s best to do with them is still prominent in our society today and whether death is really the best way to deal with prisoners.

I thought that the development of the characters throughout the play is really strong and really allows the audience to connect with the characters and become invested in their relationships and the situations. I also think that this is really good because it proves the worth of theatre to our audience and it show how it can be used to bring people together and how the arts can be used to benefit people in their lives. I also think that the characters relationships hold the play together. I think that the morals of the characters being questions is a really interesting themes in the play and that those of higher status may actually have worst morals than some of the convicts and how that affects our society. 

The thing that I like the most about the play is the comedy within it. I wasn’t expecting the play to be as funny as it is and I think that the period dress could make people think that it is going to be a serious, dull play. However I really like that the play has a lot of potential to be really funny and to engage with the audience on a humorous level that still conveys a message. I think it also adds more to the characters, which is something that can be worked with and developed in rehearsals.