Drama HSC - Essay - Contemporary Australian Theatre (Stolen and Neighbourhood Watch) PDF

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Essay question: In Australian plays, structure and staging impel the storytelling to help the audience engage with thematic concerns. (includes exegesis)...

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Drama - HSC Assessment 2 In Australian plays, structure and staging impel the storytelling to help the audience engage with thematic concerns. ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————Contemporary Australian Theatre (CAT) prompts audience members to engage with the its presented thematic concerns through its structural and staging devices. CAT is, naturally, Australian produced theatre which strays from the forms and conventions of the traditional realistic theatre. Hence, it takes from a variety of styles in order to present drama. An example of CAT is Harrison's Stolen and Katz's Neighbourhood Watch, which both utilise non-linear structured storylines, symbolic, minimalist sets and 'Magical Realism' or non-linear structure. These CAT techniques proved effective in making storytelling capable of spotlighting the thematic concerns of the Stolen Generation/displacement (Stolen) and what shapes the individual (Neighbourhood Watch). In Stolen we (as an audience) become engaged with the thematic concern of the traumas and effects of the Stolen Generation through its non-linear structure and the symbolic use of staging. When workshopping and reading Stolen, I observed that the rhythm (in the non-linear structure) was important in unifying the play's themes. Rhythm is exemplified in the scenes 'Arriving' and 'Adult Flashes'. These non-linear scene were performed with a timing/pausing-emphasis on “My mum is coming for me” (in Arriving) and then “I’m finally gunna meet my mother” (in Adult Flashes). The similarity in delivery, across this nonlinear sequence, helped in unifying and making the theme clear to the audience - the theme of the Stolen Generation (parental loss). However, this is just one example - many times throughout Stolen objects, things or people has similar rhythm in their occurrence in dialogue. Another example (of many) could also be the pace of which I performed 'Sandy's Life on the Road'. Knowing the Sandy has been displaced (a core theme) from earlier scenes such as 'A Can of Peas' and 'Hiding Sandy', I intentionally said the first line quickly: "never spent Christmas in the same town twice". It is delivered at that pace to emphasise to the audience the pain of displacement, as if it is painful for him acknowledge it. In terms staging, symbolic props was workshopped to engage the audience with the themes. The five beds, for example, were a constant throughout the entire play and symbolised the aura and status of each protagonist. Anne's bed was directed to be "much prettier" than the others as most of her story took place at white adoptive parents house. The other bed were directed to be "institutional", and covered in "old, drab chenille bedspreads". This contrast between the beds highlights the social issues of displacement and her societal advantage from being pale skinned - the advantage is being more likely to be adopted. Altogether Stolen's non-linear structure and rhythm and the symbolic use of staging engage the audience with the thematic concern of the traumas and effects of the Stolen Generation. In Neighbourhood Watch we (as an audience) become engaged with thematic concern of the shaping of an individual through the minimalist staging and 'Magical Realism' structure (places turn into other places). An example of this is in Act One: Scene Sixteen, which was explored during our coursework's workshopping. This scene seamlessly melds between Budapest, Hungary (before the war) and Ana's current day home in Australia through a series of Magically Real flashbacks. Also, the actor playing Catherine becomes a Young-Ana in order to fulfil the purpose of making Catherine reconsider how "trusty" she was by being - by being brought through Ana's stifling experience. In this scene Catherine/Young-Ana follows Ana's then mother’s godson, Arthur, onto a train, only to find that out that he was an axe murderer. When workshopping this we used the concept of proxemics to drive our decisions when staging this scene. This was done to best represent the shaping and relationships between the characters Ana, Young-Ana, and Arthur. For example, we see the mentor-student-relationship between Ana and Catherine (Young-Ana) and Catherine's development to be wary of people when Catherine says "Yes! [I learn't now the lesson]" and Ana pulls her from the way of Arthur's axe. We also learn how Ana has been hardened and become more mature from this experience and how she has become able to protect because of it. Although we did not have access to a double revolving stage, we did discus the proxemics involved in a double revolving stage - like the one used in the first production of this play. We spoke about how the double revolving stage were used to move props to transition between Australia and Hungary. This helped make the minimalist set be versatile and act as a more effective backdrop to 'Magical Realism' forms of acting. Hereby Neighbourhood Watch's minimalist staging and 'Magical Realism' structure enthral the audience in themes of the shaping of an individual. In summary, Contemporary Australian Theatre dextrously engages it's audiences through their unorthodox collection of styles each of which have been borrowed from already founded styles. This was done in Harrison's Stolen and Katz's Neighbourhood Watch. Both effectively utilised non-linear structured storylines, symbolic, minimalist sets and non-linear structure or 'Magical Realism'. All in all, CAT's conventions in these plays enthralled the audience the themes, themes of the Stolen Generation/displacement (Stolen) and what shapes the individual (Neighbourhood Watch). ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————Word Count: 864 —

A 300-400 word discussion on each solo piece is be handed in, including: • the intended impact on the audience of your piece • what the piece shows the audience about the character and thematic concerns raised • what is the key moment for this character in the play in your opinion and why • what you have learnt by developing and performing this piece Exegesis - Neighbourhood Watch ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————Character: Ana Piece: p25-26 This solo piece has an comedic and introspective impact that is reflective of its thematic concerns about individualism and relationships. This monologue expressed Ana's views on men, sex and companionship - which is provokes laughter from the audience as those sensitive topics are spoken with nonchalance. But, it also provokes thoughts about those important topics as she states poignant observations. Comedy is curated by Ana's broken English and direct tact of saying things. For example, when Ana says that she "was nursing his vife, then she is dead" it provokes a chuckle response from the audience as there is very little build-up to the tragic death, and therefore catches them by comic surprise. In a lighter tone Another example of humour is when she says that her boss "vas the very big Catholic, very big, too much Catholic to use the sausage". This is humorous and brings attention to the thematic concern of how Ana views Catholics (a social issue) and her expectations in certain relationships - which are both components of her individualism. A moment that provokes introspection is in the closing of the monologue where Ana says "You see, very complicated to live vith the man who is not the husband. If there is no sex you is the prisoner [she considers this] and sometime vith the sex you is prisoner too." The stage directions also stated the "Ana was back from the story" before she said that line. This makes the audience think, especially because she is somewhat vulnerable in this moment, a moment that she had to exit her surreal story to have. This was how she truly felt about a very personal experience and that drew attention to the male and female dynamic within the context of romance and societal exceptions. Although the last moment was somewhat vulnerable, I still chose to stage the monologue with Ana looking comfortable and in control. She was sitting on a chair next to table while drinking from a mug. Her posture was wide and relaxed and indicated that she was at her home - a place where she has full control. It is important that she comes across as in control to the audience as it is a true staple of her beliefs and how she lives - to be strong and in control. ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————Word Count: 388 — Exegesis - Stolen ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————Character: Sandy Piece: 'Sandy's Life On Road' A introspective, sobering & uncomfortable experience is curated for the audience through themes of displacement, and racism in 'Sandy's Life On Road'. This is exhibited as he travelled from place to place, never spending precious moments in a stable & dependable home. In this piece the audience is shown the mistreatment and loneliness, yet strength, of Sandy. "Never spent Christmas in the same town twice." This opening line of the piece quickly encapsulates the loneliness and isolation felt of being without family (as Christmas is strongly associated with family). The impact it has on the audience is introspective as it alludes back to the thematic concerns of the displacement of Indigenous children in Australia. Sandy goes on to say his boss was "not paying [him] as much as the next man" which confronts the audience, reminding them of the uncomfortable theme of racism and mistreatment. The nonchalance Sandy says this with exhibits that he is of strong character but also that he is desensitised to this type of treatment - indicating the prevalence of it. In this piece, I had staged it without the staple five beds. Purely because that particular moment in the play does not use them in any - this was not in any form an attempt to say that the beds were unimportant to the play. I staged the piece with only myself and a suitcase front and centre stage. I made sure to sit down upon the suitcase, as it was directed in the script. Sitting on the suitcase lowered the register of the piece to be more informal and more intimate. This indicated to audience that Sandy was not in a position of wealth or influence - rather one who life has taken for it's own ride (due to the connotations of travel with suitcases). ———————————————————————————————————————————————————————Word Count: 303 —...