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For the Term of His Natural Life is an 1886 Australian stage play adaptation of the novel For the Term of His Natural Life.
It was originally produced by Alfred Dampier, who played Reverend North. The play was adapted by Thomas Walker using the name "Thomas Somers".[3] (Walker later became a speaker for the West Australian Parliament.[4])
The structure of the play was as follows:[5]
- Prologue-England, 1827. The "Spaniards" Inn, Hampstead, Winter – with Rev North, Maurice Frere, Richard Devine, Lady Devine, Sarah Rex – ending in "The Murder in the Snow"
Then the rest of the play set in Van Dieman's Land 1830-37:
- Tableaux 1; Convict Settlement at Sarah Island – The Cannibal's Return – The Smuggled "Wood" and its Consequences – The Story of Two Birds of Prey- Revolt of the Convicts – I'll teach you to flog a man on gruel – The Broad Arrow.
- Tableaux 2 : After the Revolt – The Island – The Surprise Hunger and Solitude have tamed me, Sir. Scene 2 : Another part of the Island – Lost in the Bush – The Alan-eaters – The Lottery of Death. Scene 3 : Near the Sea – The Coracle – A Mother's Death – Sylvia's Loss of Memory – The Accusation – Destiny in His Hands.
- Tableaux 3: Hobart Town – Exterior of Frere's Residence – The Rev. Mr. North's Dilemma – And, this Is Sylvia's Husband – Forsaken – "The Day will come when I'll prove myself your friend,"
- Tableaux 4 : England – Lady Devine's Town House – Lady Devine and Sarah Rex – The claimant- 'This man maybe your husband, but he is not my son" – The Confession – The Arrest – The Claimant's Future – Norfolk Island.
- Tableau 5 : Norfolk Island – The Prison Yard – North's Failing – The Demon Drink – Remorse- 'Our smallest sins have ghosts that haunt us like tho Spirits of Murdered Men" – The Rack "One Hundred Lashes. "
- Tableaux 6: The Condemned Cell. Scene 2: That Brutal Face – Sylvia Regains her Memory. REDEMPTION.
It originally ran for only a week at the Alexandra Theatre in Melbourne, and had an unsuccessful revival there in 1890 and in Sydney in 1893.[6]
Dampier's production of the novel was not the only one available to audiences at the time. In 1886 there was a production adapted by George Leitch[7] In 1887 there was another production in Sydney based on an adaptation by "T. South".[8] Walter Baker also did an adaptation.[9] However Dampier's was allegedly the only production which paid a royalty to Clarke's widow.[10]
| His Natural Life | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Alfred Dampier Thomas Walker |
| Date premiered | 1895 |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Melodrama |
Dampier later worked on another version with Thomas Walker, His Natural Life, which had a more successful run in Sydney in 1895, with Rolfe playing Rufus Dawes, Alfred Dampier as Reverend North, and Lily Dampier as Sylvia Vickers.[11][12] The play structured the story to emphasise the role of Reverend North.[13]
The critic from the Sydney Morning Herald described it as:
Inferior to Robbery Under Arms [another novel adapted by Dampier] as regards dialogue and construction, the characters are for the most part the merest puppets of melodrama, and the dramatic situations are far from convincing. Against all this, on the other hand, the play has to its credit the advantage of an intricate plot clearly set out, of rapid action of a sensational kind and two of three beautiful tableaux – elements of good which caused it to be welcomed on Saturday with the most extravagant expressions of delight.[13]
This play was often revived over the next few years.[14][15][16][17] Alfred Dampier's last performance on stage was as Reverend North in a production of the play on 10 November 1905.[18][19]
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