Strangers in the Land (1952) was a theatrical play written by Australian playwright Mona Brand, and first performed in Britain for the Unity Theatre.[1][2] The play was a form of protest against the British occupation of during the Malayan Emergency, and heavily influenced by the Daily Worker's sympathetic coverage of the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA).[3]
| Strangers in the Land | |
|---|---|
| Written by | Mona Brand |
| Date premiered | November 1952 |
| Place premiered | Unity Theatre, London |
| Original language | English |
| Subject | Malayan Emergency |
| Genre | drama |
The play was first performed for two months at the Unity Theatre, beginning in November 1952.[2]
Background
editBrand wrote the play in response to a BBC transmission about the Malayan Emergency along with the release of the film The Planter's Wife.[4]
Premise
editThe plot follows a woman called Christine who visits British Malaya to visit her fiancé, only to suffer a mental breakdown when learning of the atrocities committed by British forces.[3] She then hears of atrocities committed against civilians by British forces, including the decapitation of heads, forced internment, restrictions on food, and the destruction of villages.[3]
The entirety of the play takes place within the fiancé's house, with the story being told in the form of discussions and stories being shared in conversations between characters.[3]
Censorship by the Lord Chamberlain
editIn the UK during this time period the Lord Chamberlain, a title within the Royal Households of the United Kingdom, had the power to ban theatrical productions from commercial stages. However the Unity Theatre circumvented these restrictions to registered members of the theatre, therefore being classified as "private" showings and not commercial.[2]
Overseas performances and translations
editStrangers in the Land was reproduced in the Australian cities of both Melbourne and Sydney in 1953 following Mona Brand's return to Australia.[5]
The play was performed at the New Theatre in Sydney in 1953.[6][7][8]
The play was also performed in the Soviet Union, Czechoslovakia, India, and East Germany.[9]
It was translated into Chinese in 1957 and translated into both Latvian and Russian in 1961.[1]
References
edit- ^ a b "Strangers in the Land: Work Summary". www.austlit.edu.au. 13 January 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2023.
- ^ a b c Linstrum, Erik (April 2023). Age of Emergency: Living with Violence at the End of the British Empire. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 179. doi:10.1093/oso/9780197572030.001.0001. ISBN 9780197572030.
- ^ a b c d Linstrum, Erik (April 2023). Age of Emergency: Living with Violence at the End of the British Empire. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 180. doi:10.1093/oso/9780197572030.001.0001. ISBN 9780197572030.
- ^ "MONA BRAND'S SUCCESS". Tribune. No. 770. New South Wales, Australia. 10 December 1952. p. 7. Retrieved 30 October 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ O'Brien, Angela (Winter 2009). "Theatre of the Old Wave: Mona Brand's On Stage Vietnam". Double Dialogues (11). University of Melbourne. ISSN 1447-9591.
- ^ "Mona Brand play at New Theatre". Tribune. No. 811. New South Wales, Australia. 23 September 1953. p. 8. Retrieved 30 October 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "New play answer to British film". Tribune. No. 814. New South Wales, Australia. 14 October 1953. p. 7. Retrieved 30 October 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Politics and Drama". The Age. No. 30723. Victoria, Australia. 19 October 1953. p. 2. Retrieved 30 October 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Aust. girl's play for Moscow theatre". Tribune. No. 810. New South Wales, Australia. 16 September 1953. p. 6. Retrieved 30 October 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
External links
edit- Strangers in the Land at Ausstage