Morning Sacrifice

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Morning Sacrifice
Written byDymphna Cusack
Date premiered8 October 1942[1]
Place premieredPerth Repertory Theatre
Original languageEnglish
SubjectWomen, education
Genredrama
Settingthe staff room of a girls school

Morning Sacrifice is a 1942 Australian all-female stage play by Dymphna Cusack. It was based on Cusack's experience as a school teacher.[2]

It was published in 1944 and has been revived a number of times.[3][4] The play is one of Cusack's major works.[5]

Premise

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At an all girls' school, a girl, Mary Grey, is seen kissing a boy. Three older teachers support the assistant principal, Miss Portia Kingsbury, who wants to expel Mary. Three younger teachers support the student. It comes down to the youngest teacher on staff, Sheila Ray as the deciding vote on whether the girl is expelled.

Sheila is friendly with Mary but feels an obligation to Portia. Portia contrives to break up a love affair between Sheila and her fiance and accuses Sheila of corrupting the girl. Sheila realises Portia is motivated by jealousy of her and Mary.

Sheila commits suicide by throwing herself off a bridge, a "morning sacrifice".[6]

Production history

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In 1942 the play won first prize at the West Australian Drama Festival.[7] (It had been submitted under a pen name.[8]) Cusack would win the same award the following year with her play Comets Soon Pass.[9]

The play made its debut on 8 October 1942 at the Repertory Theatre.[10]

The play was published by Mulga Publications in 1944. The Newcastle Herald wrote the author's "assessment of dramatic values allows Miss Cusack to get her message across with material which at first glance appears not unduly promising. She has a valuable understanding of characters and retains interest in the eternal bickering at mosphere of a school staffroom... peopled with teachers of opposite ideals and a satellite goioup with apparently none at all except vindictiveness and malice. With these materials she has moulded a play on the struggle between individuality and orthodoxy."[11]

The Adelaide Advertiser wrote "Few of the people in the play are pleasing characters, but they are vividly drawn. The reader is left aghast at the results of narrow and unintelligent thinking—an effect Miss Cusack strikingly achieves."[12]

The Age called it "remarkable".[13] The Sydney Morning Herald wrote Cusack "has advanced in dramatic technique and realism, and her criticism of certain aspects of the State educational system is apt."[14]

The play was published again in 1950 as part of a collection of three plays by Cusack.[15]

Radio adaptation

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The play was adapted for ABC radio twice in 1954. The Sydney version starred Margo Lee, Madge Ryan and Lyndall Barbour.[16] The Daily Telegraph called the play "dull".[17]

The Melbourne version starred Patricia Kennedy.[18]

Cast of 1954 Sydney Production

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  • Lyndall Barbour as Portia Kingsbury
  • Georgie Sterling as Mrs. Mac Neil
  • Marie Clarke as Sheila Ray
  • Madge Ryan as Rose Hammond
  • Margo Lee as Gwyn Carwithen
  • Mary Mackay as Miss Woods
  • Bebe Scott as Charlotte Bates

Cast of 1954 Melbourne Production

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  • Patricia Kennedy as Portia Kingsbury
  • Mary Disney as Charlotte Bates
  • Judith Mauldon as Sheila Ray
  • Marcia Hart as Rose Hammond
  • Mary Deschaineux as Mrs. Mac Nell
  • Beverley Dunn as Gwyn Carwithen
  • Agnes Dobson as Miss Woods

Professional productions

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SMH 28 Sept 2001

The play became popular in later years being professionally produced by:

  • Griffith Theatre, Sydney in 1986. The Sydney Morning Herald called the play "amateurish".[19]
  • La Mama in 1989. The Age wrote "after 47 years the play still works."[20]
  • Melbourne Theatre Company in 1991. The Age said it was "not a neglected classic crying out for recognition" but was a "strong production".[21]
  • State Theatre Company of South Australia in 1994.
  • Sydney Theatre Company in 2001. [22] Director Jennifer Flowers said "It surprised me how interesting and relevant the play is."[23] The Sydney Morning Herald called it "a well intentioned play" but "its concerns however no longer make for a potent theatrical experience.[24]

References

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  1. ^ ""MORNING SACRIFICE."". The West Australian. Vol. 58, no. 17, 552. Western Australia. 9 October 1942. p. 6. Retrieved 25 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  2. ^ "Morning Sacrific". Australian Catholic University.
  3. ^ Lloyd, V. (1987). Dymphna cusack's "morning sacrifice". Australasian Drama Studies, 0(10), 67.
  4. ^ Zimmer, Erika (8 August 2001). "Australian play from the 1930s strikes a contemporary chord". World Socialist Website.
  5. ^ Rees, Leslie (1987). Australian drama, 1970-1985 : a historical and critical survey. p. 192-193. ISBN 978-0-207-15354-9.
  6. ^ "Dymphna Cusack Play". Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate. No. 20, 972. New South Wales, Australia. 24 December 1943. p. 6. Retrieved 25 July 2023 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. ^ "MYSTERY SURROUNDS WOMAN'S DEATH". The Newcastle Sun. No. 7676. New South Wales, Australia. 27 July 1942. p. 3. Retrieved 10 September 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. ^ "1942 DRAMA FESTIVAL". The West Australian. Vol. 58, no. 17, 495. Western Australia. 4 August 1942. p. 4. Retrieved 10 September 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. ^ "DYMPHNA CUSACK WINS DRAMA FESTIVAL AGAIN". The Newcastle Sun. No. 7994. New South Wales, Australia. 4 August 1943. p. 2. Retrieved 10 September 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ "DRAMA FESTIVALS". The West Australian. Vol. 58, no. 17, 540. Western Australia. 25 September 1942. p. 2. Retrieved 10 September 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  11. ^ "Dymphna Cusack Play". Newcastle Morning Herald And Miners' Advocate. No. 20, 972. New South Wales, Australia. 24 December 1943. p. 6. Retrieved 10 September 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "Powerful Australian Play". The Advertiser (Adelaide). Vol. LXXXVI, no. 26597. South Australia. 1 January 1944. p. 3. Retrieved 10 September 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ "Do School Mistresses Persecute?". The Age. No. 27699. Victoria, Australia. 29 January 1944. p. 6. Retrieved 10 September 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "DRAMA AND COMEDY". The Sydney Morning Herald. No. 33, 109. New South Wales, Australia. 5 February 1944. p. 6. Retrieved 10 September 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^ "BOOK REVIEWS". News. Vol. 55, no. 8, 470. South Australia. 29 September 1950. p. 12. Retrieved 10 September 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  16. ^ "RADIO PLAYS for NEXT WEEK A.B.C.", ABC Weekly, 16 (14), Sydney: ABC, 3 April 1954, nla.obj-1672945753, retrieved 14 March 2024 – via Trove
  17. ^ "AROUND THE DIAL". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. XIX, no. 14. New South Wales, Australia. 7 April 1954. p. 8. Retrieved 10 September 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  18. ^ "RADIO PLAYS for NEXT WEEK A.B.C.", ABC Weekly, 16 (33), Sydney: ABC, 14 August 1954, nla.obj-1692639458, retrieved 14 March 2024 – via Trove
  19. ^ Kippax, HG (6 June 1986). "Sacrifice highlights wartime virtues". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 20.
  20. ^ Radic, Leonard (13 March 1989). "Schoolteachers in a moral lather". The Age. p. 14.
  21. ^ Radic, Leonard (20 August 1991). "Cusack play throws light on theatre history". The Age. p. 14.
  22. ^ "Brilliant classroom drama". The Australian Jewish News. Vol. 106, no. 39. New South Wales, Australia. 29 June 2001. p. 24. Retrieved 10 September 2025 – via National Library of Australia.
  23. ^ "Heartbreak high". The Sydney Morning Herald Metro. 8 June 2001. p. 15.
  24. ^ Hallett, Bryce (15 June 2001). "School's in for a superb cast". The Sydney Morning Herald. p. 18.
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