Morning Sacrifice

Morning Sacrifice is a 1942 Australian all-female stage play by Dymphna Cusack. It was based on Cusack's experience as a school teacher.^[2]

Morning Sacrifice
Written by	Dymphna Cusack
Date premiered	8 October 1942[1]
Place premiered	Perth Repertory Theatre
Original language	English
Subject	Women, education
Genre	drama
Setting	the staff room of a girls school

It was published in 1944 and has been revived a number of times.^[3][4] The play is one of Cusack's major works.^[5]

Premise

At an all girls' school, a girl, Mary Grey, is seen kissing a boy. Three older teachers support the assistant principal, Miss Portia Kingsbury, who wants to expel Mary. Three younger teachers support the student. It comes down to the youngest teacher on staff, Sheila Ray as the deciding vote on whether the girl is expelled.

Sheila is friendly with Mary but feels an obligation to Portia. Portia contrives to break up a love affair between Sheila and her fiance and accuses Sheila of corrupting the girl. Sheila realises Portia is motivated by jealousy of her and Mary.

Sheila commits suicide by throwing herself off a bridge, a "morning sacrifice".^[6]

Production history

In 1942 the play won first prize at the West Australian Drama Festival.^[7] (It had been submitted under a pen name.^[8]) Cusack would win the same award the following year with her play Comets Soon Pass.^[9]

The play made its debut on 8 October 1942 at the Repertory Theatre.^[10]

The play was published by Mulga Publications in 1944. The Newcastle Herald wrote the author's "assessment of dramatic values allows Miss Cusack to get her message across with material which at first glance appears not unduly promising. She has a valuable understanding of characters and retains interest in the eternal bickering at mosphere of a school staffroom... peopled with teachers of opposite ideals and a satellite goioup with apparently none at all except vindictiveness and malice. With these materials she has moulded a play on the struggle between individuality and orthodoxy."^[11]

The Adelaide Advertiser wrote "Few of the people in the play are pleasing characters, but they are vividly drawn. The reader is left aghast at the results of narrow and unintelligent thinking—an effect Miss Cusack strikingly achieves."^[12]

The Age called it "remarkable".^[13] The Sydney Morning Herald wrote Cusack "has advanced in dramatic technique and realism, and her criticism of certain aspects of the State educational system is apt."^[14]

The play was published again in 1950 as part of a collection of three plays by Cusack.^[15]

Radio adaptation

The play was adapted for ABC radio twice in 1954. The Sydney version starred Margo Lee, Madge Ryan and Lyndall Barbour.^[16] The Daily Telegraph called the play "dull".^[17]

The Melbourne version starred Patricia Kennedy.^[18]

Cast of 1954 Sydney Production

• Lyndall Barbour as Portia Kingsbury
• Georgie Sterling as Mrs. Mac Neil
• Marie Clarke as Sheila Ray
• Madge Ryan as Rose Hammond
• Margo Lee as Gwyn Carwithen
• Mary Mackay as Miss Woods
• Bebe Scott as Charlotte Bates

Cast of 1954 Melbourne Production

• Patricia Kennedy as Portia Kingsbury
• Mary Disney as Charlotte Bates
• Judith Mauldon as Sheila Ray
• Marcia Hart as Rose Hammond
• Mary Deschaineux as Mrs. Mac Nell
• Beverley Dunn as Gwyn Carwithen
• Agnes Dobson as Miss Woods

Professional productions

SMH 28 Sept 2001

The play became popular in later years being professionally produced by:

• Griffith Theatre, Sydney in 1986. The Sydney Morning Herald called the play "amateurish".^[19]
• La Mama in 1989. The Age wrote "after 47 years the play still works."^[20]
• Melbourne Theatre Company in 1991. The Age said it was "not a neglected classic crying out for recognition" but was a "strong production".^[21]
• State Theatre Company of South Australia in 1994.
• Sydney Theatre Company in 2001. ^[22] Director Jennifer Flowers said "It surprised me how interesting and relevant the play is."^[23] The Sydney Morning Herald called it "a well intentioned play" but "its concerns however no longer make for a potent theatrical experience.^[24]