Blackrock

Using drama through characters and conflict we can examine our national identity. The play Blackrock Written by Nick Enright is inspired by events that took place on the 3rd of November 1989 on Stockton beach, where a 14 year old girl was brutally murdered and raped. The play is set in a beachside town called Blackrock full of surfers like Jared. After being away for 11 months, Jared’s best mate Ricko, a local surfing legend, returns to Blackrock, for Toby Acklands birthday party, at the local surf club. But too many Drugs and too much alcohol lead to Tracy Warner a young local girl, being raped by Davo, Scott and Toby and beaten to death by Ricko. Jared is the only person who knows the truth about what happened that night and he is unsure on what to do. Conventions such as mateship, sexism and binge drinking are used between characters throughout the play, to build an exciting and dramatic atmosphere and help Australians examine our national identity and discover how others perceive it. Mateship is a great Australian Quality which embodies loyalty, Equality and describes a relationship between men during challenging times. Mateship is shown extensively throughout Blackrock. Especially through the relationship of Jared and Ricko. Growing up Ricko was like an older brother to Jared, he taught Jared how to surf, he looked out for Jared and as Jared states “he made me feel like one of the boys”. However in scene 17 Jared and Ricko’s mateship is put to the ultimate test, when Ricko admits to Jared that was the person the murdered Tracy. Ricko begs Jared to lie to the police to get Ricko out of going to jail, to which Jared replies “mate I can’t do it” and Ricko then states with a disappointed attitude” You know I’d do it for you.”