** Regarding The History of the Period
**And HOW to RUN the Play
Scroll down to the end to find how to-
**Download the Complete Play Documents as PDF.
**Download Slide Show of Pictures and History Information
THE PLAY REAL EVENTS------REAL PEOPLE
VICTORIA --during--and after the GOLD RUSH!
AIM: To demonstrate that :
The actual acknowledgement and PROMOTION of FINDING GOLD deposits in N.S.W. by Edward Hargreaves, eventually transferred the search to VICTORIA, and in the process TRANSFORMED VICTORIA.
A SIMPLE PLAY TO ENCOMPASS ALL the CLASS.
SHOULD OCCUPY 3 classroom periods only.L
1 Signposts and Taste READINGS.by TEACHER
2 Select the PLAYERS. 3. Enjoy the PLAY.
HOW:
JOBS to be done:
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To include ALL THE CLASS..A job can be found for ALL.
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Signs, drawings, and simple uniforms or period clothes.
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Equal speaking time for all participants.
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A Historical commentary, and Introduction for each ACT, should allow Girls, to make up for the historical imbalance of men (Boys).
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Understudies should be given a go.
TEACHER READ: With possibly Some light discussion to follow.
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SIGNPOSTS to Early Australian History and the Play Setting.
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Get a “TASTE of our early PEOPLE.”
SELECT:
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Actors and Actresses.
MAKE SIMPLE: Uniforms or Clothing. Use a LARGE name SIGN..
READ: Directly From the script. Tutors may change how they like. Have FUN!!
PERHAPS attach a Video and Sound link.-Another job?
Please Note, All Sources and Acknowledgements are at the end of The Forgotten Tyabb Secret book.
SIGNPOSTS to Early Australian History and the Play Setting.
Whilst it had been acknowledged, for some time, that GOLD could be found in Australia, it was really the Californian GOLD rushes, starting in 1848 then 1849, that started people thinking. GOLD consciousness was growing in Australia. Sensationalist finds of GOLD and its” poor to riches” effect was becoming quite well published in Australia.
The NSW Colonial Secretary, announced on 2nd May 1851 that Gold had been found in NSW near Bathurst.
P & O’s “CHUSAN,” was the first Sailing and Steam Engine ship, to motor through the Suez canal, and cut the journey from UK to Australia down to 80 days, arriving in Melbourne on July 1852. This meant that prospective GOLD finders could rely on a shorter trip than taking the Sailing ship’s route via South America then across to South Africa, and through Bass Strait. A lighthouse had been built in 1848 at cape Otway to help guide ships along Bass Straight to Melbourne.
a “TASTE of our early PEOPLE.”
Edward Hargreaves, was not actually the first to discover Gold in Australia. BUT he did promote the findings at Ophir near Bathurst NSW, giving rise to the NSW Colonial Secretary’s announcement.
It had been rumored that James Gumm a former servant of John Pascoe Fawkner, had always been looking for Gold in his Victorian holdings. Pastoralists, Squatters, and sheepherders would have the signs of GOLD, and possibly dabbled in a “bit of Gold selling” but they all feared it would undermine the Country nature of the land.
At the 1851 census, just after the First GOLD Rush in Australia, and after devastating Bush Fires, Victoria had a population of about 77,000. In 1854, after 3 years, it had jumped to 237,000. By 1861 it was 540,000. Nearly half the total population of Australia.
In 1854 Sir Charles Hotham succeeded La Trobe as Lt. Governor of Victoria. This was the year of the EUREKA STOCKADE REBELLION at BALLARAT. December 3rd 1854. Hotham delayed his acceptance of the post, wishing to be a Captain of a naval Vessel at the Crimean War. William Lonsdale, Victoria’s First Police Magistrate, continued to serve on as First Colonial Secretary to the Elected Victoria Legislative Council.
BOTH La Trobe and Hotham, believed in “Nullius” and charged Gold Miners a License Fee. The License Fee and its cost triggered the revolt at Ballarat. At the time Melbourne was slowly becoming a sophisticated City.
Its interesting that John Pascoe became a Member of the Victorian Legislative Council, and opposed the Miners rioting, and Major Edward MacArthur, son of John MacArthur, became acting Lt. Governor for 12 months after Charles Hotham’s death. This son helped Macarthur pull down Governor Bligh.
THE ACTS.
ACT 1. Scene 1 Players. La Trobe—Lonsdale—
Scene 2 Players. Fawkner—Leader of the Opposition—Speaker--Members
ACT 2. Scene 1 Players. Matt.--Horace the Mine owner—Dr. Wills.(Father of John Wills of Bourke and Wills fame)—Linda Matt’s wife.
Scene 2 Players. Mrs. Ena Perry—Raffaello Carboni
ACT 3. Scene 1. Players. Chris—Tristo—Garrath--Macca
Scene 2. Players. Hayley--Jessica
Scene 3. Players Gemma—Mackenzie--Ling Wah Ho
ACT 4. Scene 1. Players A Newspaper in Action--Normality in Victoria.
Scene 2. Players. Peter Lalor “being grilled” before becoming SPEAKER in The State of Victoria Legislative Assembly
Download PDF PICTURES Part 1 and Download PDF PICTURES Part 2
| Click to view separate ACTs below | DOWNLOAD COMPLETE PLAY PDF |
| ACT 1. 6 People (6 Boys) --> | READ ACT 1 |
| ACT 2. 6 People (4 Boys, 2 Girls) --> | READ ACT 2 |
| ACT 3. 8 People (5 Boys, 3 Girls) --> | READ ACT 3 |
| ACT 4. 9 People (9 Boys) --> | READ ACT 4 |
