AustLit

Geographical Setting

The geographical setting is Hobart in Tasmania, and Chateau Deveron in South Australia.

Temporal Setting

The 'present' is 'Summer; end 1945,' a few months after the war had ended in Europe.

Blewett continued to develop the plot in this final version. There is a significant revision of the dialogue making it tighter and sparer. For example, the dialogue in Act One p2 has been completely rewritten, and the entire exchange between Stephen and Mrs Collins about breakfast has been deleted. Instead, there is a very short and to the point exchange in which Mrs Collins chides Stephen for 'behaving like a naughty child' (Blewett 3). Blewett's interpretation of Europe is more complex and the conversations between Joanna and Halley reveal this. The characters of Mrs Mattie van Druyten, Colonel Swinnerton and Mrs Swinnerton have been written out of the story as the ending has evolved. Instead, Joanna is deeply affected by the first Joanna's story and decided to stay. We know Blewett had continued to work on the script because it is mentioned in a letter (pictured left) from Rex Rienits regarding the ABC's purchase of the television rights.

The second Stephen Deveron

Mrs Collins who 'obliges' at Chateau Deveron

The second Joanna Deveron, Stephen's wife

Halley van Druyten

Jocelyn Cumin, Stephen's second cousin

Miss Editha Deveron and Miss Viola Deveron, Stephen's twin great-aunts aged 92

Jackson the chauffeur

1837

The first Stephen Deveron, aged 22

Sir Bertram Taverner, Governor of a Women's Jail

Lady Caroline Taverner, his wife

Miss Beatrice Taverner, his sister

Captain Jules Smith, aged 29

Joanna Millay, the first Joanna, aged 17

1862

Joanna, aged 42

The Deverons' Children:

Augusta, aged 20

Philip, aged 14

Editha and Viola, aged 10

Stephen Deveron, aged 47

Major Jules Smith, aged 54

1871

Editha and Viola, aged 18

Joanna, aged 51

1885

Stephen, aged 69

Joanna, aged 64

The manuscript is 104 pages in length, 205mm wide and 250 mm long. It has a buff cardboard cover that is very worn. The paper is buff typing paper. It has no markups or edits apart from a few faint pencil marks on page two.