Breaker Morant (play)

For the film directed by Bruce Beresford based on this play, see Breaker Morant (film).
Breaker Morant
"Breaker" Morant
Written byKenneth G. Ross
Characters
  • Lieutenant Morant
  • Lieutenant Witton
  • Lieutenant Handcock
  • President of the Court-Martial
  • Dr. Johnson
  • Mr. Robinson
  • Colonel Hamilton
  • Major Thomas
  • Lord Kitchener
  • Sgt-Major Drummitt
  • Trooper Botha
  • Captain Taylor
  • Corporal Sharp
  • Van Rooyan
  • Interrogators
  • Military personnel
Date premiered2 February 1978
Place premieredAthenaeum Theatre
Melbourne, Victoria
Original languageEnglish
SubjectThe Boer Wars, Courts-martial, Military justice, Summary execution
GenreDrama
SettingSouth Africa.

Breaker Morant: A Play in Two Acts is an Australian play written by Kenneth G. Ross,[1] centred on the court-martial and the last days of Lieutenant Harry "Breaker" Morant (1864–1902) of the Bushveldt Carbineers (BVC), that was first performed at the Athenaeum Theatre, in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, on Thursday, 2 February 1978, by the Melbourne Theatre Company.[2]

Described at the time as an "interesting, though underwritten biographical study",[3] the first performance of the play was directed and designed by John Sumner, the founding director of the Melbourne Theatre Company.

  1. ^ At the time the play was first performed , he was known as Kenneth Ross; he is now known as Kenneth G. Ross (see here for more information his name change).
  2. ^ Morris, C., "Show Scene: Daredevil Horseman and Poet", The Age, (Thursday, 2 February 1978), p.19.
  3. ^ Living Out: Theatre: 'Breaker' Morant", The Age Weekender, (Friday, 23 February 1978), p.7.