AustLit

The Helen Haenke Collection at the University of Queensland's Fryer Library holds two copies of 'Bitter Orange'. The first is a simple play script, like all the other scripts in the collection. The second appears to be a screenplay script as there are phrases such as 'cut to' and 'superimpose titles'.

The first copy has been typed with a typewriter on thin white paper. The first page contains the title of the play and underneath that it states it is by "Tamarind", presumably a pseudonym for the author.

The second script has 16 leaves. It has been typed with a typewriter on tall white paper, with lines running horizontally and vertically over each page to section it into quarters. The first page of the script has handwritten notes and numbers in blue ink. There is a section of four character lines in type, and a piece of page has been cut out. There are extensive character descriptions on the second page—much more detailed than the first copy of the play. There is also a short list of 'silent characters' who should appear. The third page of the script describes the 'detail of sets required', and also outlines where each scene is to be set. From page three the play begins. The left columns of the quadrant are titled 'video' and the right ones 'audio'. The columns are used to indicate when audio and video sequences should match up. There are some hand written annotations throughout.

At the back of this script are the first four pages of the script repeated but in hand writing. Perhaps the author started the script by hand before discovering how to do it with a typewriter.