AustLit

Contemporary newspaper reports indicated that Leitch 'made the necessary alterations in the plot so as to preserve almost every dramatic situation it contains, and he has preserved most of the interesting scenes and even the dialogue of the original story', but he did switch the conclusion so as to bring his work to a happy ending.

See Brisbane Courier article below.

According to contemporary reviews:

The story as told in the drama ran closely alongside the familiar narrative in the book until the escape of Rufus Dawes disguised in the garments of the repentant Mr. North. In the drama the escape is prevented by Maurice Frere. That scoundrel's efforts however are foiled at the last moment by the arrival of a free pardon for Dawes. This was brought about by the confession of John Rex. The play ends with the death of Maurice Frere at the hands of Gabbett, and the departure of Rufus Dawes and Sylvia for England.

Source:

'Gaiety Theatre', The Queenslander, 23 July 1887, p.138-139.

An adaptation of Marcus Clarke's novel.

According to contemporary reviews of the opening-night performance:

though somewhat weak in points as compared with its predecessors, it scored a distinct success. In the first two acts there was a certain want of continuity displayed in the telling of the story, for which the adapter was responsible, and here and there the drama dragged a little–no doubt in consequence of this being its first representation: but afterwards the action of the book was followed more closely. The incidents were worked up with considerable effect, and some of the situations were decidedly telling and elicited enthusiastic applause from the audience

Source:

'His Natural Life', Brisbane Courier, 30 July 1888, p.5.

An adaptation of Marcus Clarke's novel.

An adaptation of Marcus Clarke's novel.

According to contemporary reviews:

In many respects the dramatisation justified its claim to newness. It embraced some incidents omitted from other versions, but gave rather a prominence to the gruesome side of the story. Generally speaking, less dramatic skill in construction, and less refinement of taste was shown than in previous versions. The exhibition of a man tied to the triangles, and with the marks of whipping scored on his bare shoulders, was for instance realistic, but it was neither a pleasant nor an elevating sight. Otherwise the drama was well staged, and it was acted in a manner which elicited warm applause. The comic element, which was introduced pleasantly, relieved the sombreness of the drama and excited hearty laughter.

Source:

'The Opera House', The Queenslander, 27 June 1891, p.1214.

An adaptation of Marcus Clarke's novel.

An adaptation of Marcus Clarke's novel, written by Edmund Duggan, who also took the role of Rufus Dawes.

A contemporary review notes that:

The drama is necessarily constructed with an eye to startling effects and powerful situations, and ample scope is found for these in the brutalities and barbarisms which characterised the convict system with which the early pages of Australian history are besmirched. Thus the mutiny on board the convict ship Malabar is given due prominence; the scenes in the prison yard where 'man's inhumanity to man' was so frequently witnessed are appropriately emphasised, and the various details of attempted escapes and inevitable captures are realistically presented. These are legitimate uses of the story for dramatic purposes, but the scene between the cannibal Gabbett and his two comrades is unnecessarily repulsive, and touches that border-line where attempted realism only provokes laughter, the subsequent view of the man-eating convict chasing a comic parson with an axe being neither convincing nor edifying. The final act gets away from tho book altogether, but this is probably only to be expected, for the patrons of melodrama would scarcely rest content without the good old-fashioned tableau of virtue triumphant and villany [sic] vanquished, and so on this interesting picture the curtain falls.

Source:

'Theatre Royal', Chronicle, 11 December 1897, p.34.

The first of several cinematic adaptations of Marcus Clarke's classic and complex story, first published as His Natural Life, this version is essentially a collection of highlights. The screenplay is also heavily based on the popular stage version from a few years earlier. The Bulletin records in this respect that while the storyline had been 'severely edited, [the] boiling-down was evidently done by a man who knew his business, for the continuity of the yarn is quite unbroken' (ctd. in Pike and Cooper p.11).

The screenplay begins in England with the murder for which Rufus Dawes is wrongfully arrested, tried, and eventually found guilty. He is then sentenced to life as a convict in Van Diemen's Land, and it is from this point on that the story sees the bitter and harsh life that he is forced to endure. He later escapes and embarks on a voyage to freedom, while also encountering his long-lost love, Sylvia. The boat sinks, however, and the pair drown while holding each other in an eternal embrace.

The story begins in England with a young Ellinor Wade wanting to run away and elope with her beloved, Lord Bellasis, yet her uncle has other plans for her to marry the wealthy Sir Richard Devine. She submits to her uncle's request and marries Sir Devine. Years later, her son, young Richard Devine, is cast out by his father as he learns the truth of Ellinor's indiscretions with Lord Bellasis all those years ago. Bellasis is found murdered and robbed, young Richard is blamed, and sent away on a convict ship heading towards Australia.

The rest of the play centres around young Richard, who now calls himself Rufus Dawes, and his new shipmate John Rex, who people suggest are like brothers. They're shipwrecked and it is believed Dawes has perished, but he washes up ashore on an abandoned settlement in Australia where he finds a marooned Lieutenant Frere, Mrs Vickers, and their daughter Sylvia. Sylvia takes to Dawes, calling him "good Mr Dawes," much to the displeasure of Frere who is fond of young Sylvia. Dawes, Frere and the Vickers finally set sail and after some time are found by an American vessel and taken to Port Arthur.

Meanwhile John Rex, who organised the mutiny to maroon Frere and the Vickers, has discovered that Sir Richard Devine has passed away and pretends to be his son in order to steal his inheritance. He fails after a grieving Lady Devine fools him into revealing he is not her son.

Years later, Dawes has been recaptured and sent to Hobart and Rex has returned only to be left an invalid after a stroke. Dawes believes he is about to die, but his mother appears to pardon him after learning that John Rex was the one who killed Lord Bellasis, who was both his and Dawes' (Richard Devine's) father.

The manuscript held in The Hanger Collection of Australian Manuscripts in the Fryer Library at the University of Queensland contains the following character notes:

Cast:

Richard Devine, alias rufus Dawes )half brothers

John Rex, alias Lionel Crofton )parts are doubled

Francis Wade

Lieutenant Frere

Reverend North

Major Vicars

Sir Richard Devine

Reverend Meekin

Lord Bellasis

Matt. Gabbett

The crow

Kirkland

Tomkins S.

Smitherson

Mogford

Troke

Lady Devine (Ellinor Wade)

Sarah Purfoy

Sylvia Vickers

Mrs. Vickers

Mrs. Jellico

Mrs. Potherick

Mary Crofton

Based on Marcus Clarke's classic novel, originally published in 1870 as His Natural Life, the story tells of convict Rufus Dawes, who has been wrongfully accused of a crime and sent to the penal colony of Van Diemen's Land for the term of his natural life. In his attempts to escape the colony, Dawes falls in love with Sylvia (a warden's daughter) and confronts his sinister lookalike John Rex and the evil convict Gabbett.

American director/screenwriter Norman Dawn's adaptation strays from the original book considerably. For example, the ending sees the fate of Rufus and Sylvia, adrift on a raft in the ocean, left in the balance, whereas Clarke's original story has the pair drown. However, the film retains a strong, visual style, especially in climactic crowd scenes.

In the Radio Times, the BBC described this as 'freely based on the novel For the Term of his Natural Life'.

Source:

Radio Times, 12 May 1966, p.28.

Based on the novel by Marcus Clarke, this is a relatively faithful adaptation, though Moran (in his Guide to Australian TV Series), tracing the connections between this narrative and various other nineteenth-century works, suggests that

For the Term of His Natural Life ceases to have anything much to do with the convict cycle in the mini-series that extend from Against the Wind to The Fremantle Conspiracy. Instead it has a lot more to do with series such as Return to Eden. Indeed, in viewing the series, the viewer experiences a strong surge of pleasure not only in the narrative but in the handsomeness of the settings and costumes, and cinematography but most especially in the star/character recognitions.

The program used a number of international actors (largely, Moran suggests, to increase saleability to overseas markets), including Patrick McNee (The Avengers) and Anthony Perkins (Psycho). At a cost of $5.6 million, it was the most expensive mini-series so far produced for Australian television, but was comparatively well received in Australia and distributed overseas.

An adaptation of Marcus Clarke's novel in three parts.

1. The Sea Voyage (first broadcast 8 October 2000)

2. Marooned (first broadcast 15 October 2000)

3. Redemption (first broadcast 22 October 2000)

A stage adaptation of Marcus Clarke's novel.