Australia

The play is set in the continent / country of Australia. The country's location in the global Southern Hemisphere reverses weather patterns accepted as common by many in the Northern Hemisphere. A significant example is the fact that in Australia, Christmas is a hot time of year, the equivalent of summer in the Northern Hemisphere. This circumstance contributes to the thematically significant sense of dislocation, of being strangers in a strange land, experienced by a number of the characters.

An Urban Community

The play's first two acts are set within the circumstances of an urban community in Australia that is never specifically identified. The fact that the community is not named enhances the sense of universality in the circumstances of the characters, while the sense of urban-ness about the community enhances the play's thematic contention that engaging with, and being affected by, nature is a powerful way of connecting...