AustLit

The earliest manuscript in the collection differs considerably from later versions in plot and temporal setting. This version of the play is set in 1939, immediately before the outbreak of World War Two. The earliest version of the manuscript must have been completed before the rehearsed reading of The First Joanna which was advertised for the 23rd of October 1943. Given the commentary on historical revisionism, the play was most probably written in the years immediately following the sesquicentenary of white settlement in 1938.

The plot focuses on the second Joanna and her discontent with being confined to Chateau Derveron after the exciting lifestyle of Juan Les Pins. Joanna feels she has made a mistake marrying Stephen and plans to leave him. When she finds the first Joanna's diaries and discloses their contents to the Deveron family, Stephen reacts with anger and disbelief at the secrets revealed. The play ends with Stephen restraining Joanna as she struggles to leave.

Geographical Setting

The play takes place in Hobart in Tasmania, and Chateau Devereon in South Australia.

Temporal Setting

The 'present' is January 1939, a time of significant political turmoil in Europe, but prior to the outbreak of war in September 1939. 1939 was the year following the sesquicentenary of white settlement in Australia. This period of Australian history was constrained by 'the denial of convict involvement in the establishment of the colony' (Smith 73).

The second Stephen Deveron

Mrs Collins who 'obliges' at Chateau Deveron

The second Joanna Deveron, Stephen's wife

Halley van Druyten

Jocelyn Cumin, Stephens's second cousin

Miss Editha Deveron and Miss Viola Deveron, Stephen's twin great-aunts aged 86

Jackson the chauffeur

Scene One

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

Scene Two

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

Scene Three

Stephen, aged 69

Joanna, aged 64

The second Stephen

The second Joanna

Miss Editha Deveron

Miss Viola Deveron

Jocelyn Cuming

Halley van Druyten

Mrs Mattie van Druyten, Halley's mother

Mrs Swinnerton

Colonel Swinnerton

Mrs Collins

Author's Note: The two Stephens can be played by the same man. The two Joannas, however should be as unlike as possible - the first Joanna tall, well-built and fair, the second small dark and intense.

The manuscript is 64 pages of hand-typed loose leaves of paper, 210 mm wide and 260 mm long. There are two kinds of paper, a thin grey paper and a heavy, coarse textured, yellowed paper - examples of each can be seen in the images above. It is possible the different two papers are due to pages being removed and retyped after editing. The grey paper is the title page, pp 23-26 and pp 44-63. The manuscript was tied together with thick white string which was removed during scanning.