The Western Design

BATTERSEA WRITERS’ GROUP SCRIPT REPORT


TITLE: The Western Design
WRITER: Jason Young
FORMAT: Screenplay
DATE: Wednesday 2nd August 2006
READER: Joanne Williams read by Holly Clark; Cudjoe read by Mensah Bediako; John Gregory read by Rod Newman; Captain Stoddard read by Justin Mitchell; Nanny read by Asha; Dr. William Russell read by Tom Liddle; Edward Trelawny read by Danni Brook; Oliver Cromwell/Admiral Penn read by Jenna Rothwell; Narrated by Rhiannon Eagles.

SUMMARY
Set in the Spanish Main in an age of pirates and privateers, it is the story of how the Maroons resisted an English invasion of the island of Jamaica, leading to a truce in 1738.

SYNOPSIS
When Oliver Cromwell commissions Admiral Penn to begin an expedition to the Spanish Main, the English Navy wins the island of Jamaica from the clutches of the Spanish occupiers. The runaway slaves flee to the mountains and become known as...the Maroons.

Led by Nanny and her brother, Cudjoe, they resist an English penetration and begin destroying the plantations. Cudjoe is swayed by an Englishwoman, Joanne Williams, that he captures from a plantation, and it is on the issue of this woman that he parts company with Nanny. Cudjoe heads west with Joanne and his followers to create the Leeward Maroons, and Nanny remains with the Windward Maroons.

The Governor of Jamaica and Captain Stoddard plan an attack against Nanny Town whilst Cudjoe settles in the west. He takes advantage of Joanne, and she gets her revenge when she makes her escape. The Englishwoman has changed his opinion about the Red coat army, and he agrees to a peace treaty to bring an end to the war.

The Windward Maroons also agree to a peace treaty, but Nanny withdraws from the negotiation to stand her ground. She dies in silence, defiant of any alliance with the Red coats. In spite of this, England – now united with Scotland through the 1707 Act of Union – has now created the British colony of Jamaica.

CHARACTERISATION AND DIALOGUE
Edward Trelawny brings some light relief to this heavy themed story. We like him and want to spend time with him.

This story is more about strategy than emotions, which is why the dialogue between Stoddard and Gregory works. It deals with the issue of image: the making of the British Empire and Western society.
This offering gives a personal gateway into the lives of Nanny and Cudjoe, but Cudjoe is presented as unaware of the scale of the situation that he is in. Nanny seems to be the wise one, but she says very little. She has a firm grip on reality, whereas Cudjoe is pitiful. As a result of this, we connect more with Nanny than with Cudjoe, but she says so little.