Our play for June was “Morning Sacrifice” by Dymphna Cusack.
Dymphna Cusack, was born in 1902 and the play was set in Australia in 1938 (published in 1943). The characters were representative of the era, with the ideals and prejudices of the time. For example, the possibility of being expelled for being found kissing a boy.
Played over three acts in the Easthaven Girls High School pre-WW2, it is not a comedy, and does have some nastiness – at times quite sad and hard to accept. The setting is the staff room, mainly Monday, with the third act including a final scene the following Thursday morning. All the characters are women, with many contrasting characters – harsh, hypocritical, fawning, quiet, meek and motherly. It is all there.
The central focus of the play is an increasingly bitter struggle between the teachers over the fate of Mary Grey, a senior student at the school accused of immoral behaviour. Mary was caught kissing a boy at a school dance. Kingsbury, the deputy head who is magnifying the affair for her own ends, wants to shore up her authority over Easthaven's seven teachers and Woods, the school's head. Three of the seven teachers line up behind Kingsbury; three of the remaining teachers speak out in favour of Mary Grey. It is left to the most junior of the teachers to break the deadlock. The pressure placed on her by Kingsbury leads to her suicide.
Our discussion after reading the play covered the issues of how the era focussed on rote learning and cramming for a series of external tests. There had been a lot of focus on administration and lack of recognition for the arts. In the play music was considered only half a subject and of no value to the girls’ future. Much of this has changed today, with a greater recognition by many of the value of the arts. Although there is great concern today about the administrative load placed on teachers. And the curriculum changes over the years may not have yet got the balance right.
An interesting but emotionally difficult play.
Our play for July is Chaim’s Love Song by Marvin Chernoff, recommended by David at the Victorian Drama League
Joy Shirley
Dymphna Cusack, was born in 1902 and the play was set in Australia in 1938 (published in 1943). The characters were representative of the era, with the ideals and prejudices of the time. For example, the possibility of being expelled for being found kissing a boy.
Played over three acts in the Easthaven Girls High School pre-WW2, it is not a comedy, and does have some nastiness – at times quite sad and hard to accept. The setting is the staff room, mainly Monday, with the third act including a final scene the following Thursday morning. All the characters are women, with many contrasting characters – harsh, hypocritical, fawning, quiet, meek and motherly. It is all there.
The central focus of the play is an increasingly bitter struggle between the teachers over the fate of Mary Grey, a senior student at the school accused of immoral behaviour. Mary was caught kissing a boy at a school dance. Kingsbury, the deputy head who is magnifying the affair for her own ends, wants to shore up her authority over Easthaven's seven teachers and Woods, the school's head. Three of the seven teachers line up behind Kingsbury; three of the remaining teachers speak out in favour of Mary Grey. It is left to the most junior of the teachers to break the deadlock. The pressure placed on her by Kingsbury leads to her suicide.
Our discussion after reading the play covered the issues of how the era focussed on rote learning and cramming for a series of external tests. There had been a lot of focus on administration and lack of recognition for the arts. In the play music was considered only half a subject and of no value to the girls’ future. Much of this has changed today, with a greater recognition by many of the value of the arts. Although there is great concern today about the administrative load placed on teachers. And the curriculum changes over the years may not have yet got the balance right.
An interesting but emotionally difficult play.
Our play for July is Chaim’s Love Song by Marvin Chernoff, recommended by David at the Victorian Drama League
Joy Shirley
RSS Feed
