Stage Adaptation Of The Secret River

Despite people’s best efforts, history’s dark side cannot be easily ignored. The stage adaptation of Australian Gothic, The Secret River, proves just that. Directed by Neil Armfield, The Secret River follows the story of William Thornhill (Nathaniel Dean), a British convict sentenced to New South Wales for his crimes, who, along with his family, claim already preoccupied land. Thornhill being to grow an attachment to the idea of owning land as his own and attempts to convince the already situated family to move on from the land. When Thornhill’s attempts fail, he is driven to making a haunting and twisted decision that would haunt him for the remainder of his life. An exceedingly effective show with the plot alone, but the level of effectiveness

There is a scene between William and Thomas where they discuss the issues surrounding William’s newly claimed land. As the scene evolves, it’s revealed to the audience that Blackwood has a secret Indigenous partner with whom he has a son with. As Blackwood’s romantic partner enters the scene, it’s clear to the audience that this woman has been shown before. The actress who plays Blackwood also portrays the narrator of the production. This change between characters shows transformation of character. One character being a physical presence on stage that other character interact with, while the other is more of a spirit that commentates on the events occurring on stage without being acknowledged by other characters. Thornhill displays suspicious behaviour and believes the Indigenous are seeking some form of revenge on him and his family. This technique of transformation of character and suspicion gives the first insinuations of the gothic genre developing. Similar to other scenes beforehand, elements of drama, such as tension and relationship are depicted. Tension between Blackwood and Thornhill after making the discovery of his romantic partner. Thornhill who already showcases feelings of suspicion towards the Indigenous and is clearly shocked to learn of this. In spite of his shock, he does promise to keep their involvement a secret. The discovery,

Viewers see the downfall of Thornhill and witness how his yearning for ownership of the land led to terrible and irredeemable decisions. His desire for ownership and his suspicion led to the genocide, committed by Thornhill and a group of friends, of the Indigenous family already located there. The mood of the scene in which the genocide occurs is suspenseful, haunting and ominous. Thornhill’s suspicion is manipulated further as he’s convinced the Indigenous will attack him, his family and reclaim their land. This manipulation furthers his suspicion and leads to the actions. An important feature in the scene is the symbol of a white powder being blown out of the hands of the men, representing gun powder to extend the effectiveness of the gothic elements of the scene. Undoubtedly, the most effective scene of all. It displays while using the gothic and dramatic elements how the desire for ownership and the greed he developed led to dreadful