Heres some notes i justfound...
How are the dramatic forms and theatrical techniques of the plays you have studied used to portray the struggles of the characters?
Contemporary Australian Theatre explores the various ways in which artistic, cultural, social, political and personal issues and concerns are reflected in different contexts. Australian practitioners use dramatic forms and theatrical techniques to convey ideas and influence the ways in which audiences understand and respond to ideas and images presented and represented in theatre. Dramatic forms and theatrical techniques are those tools used by directors and script writers to portray the struggles of the characters involved within the text. Contemporary Australian theatre is a political expression, and a vehicle for expressing an opinion or a feeling. The Seven stages of grieving by Wesley Enoch, and Deborah Mailman and Matt Cameron’s Ruby Moon both portray strong dramatic forms and powerful theatrical techniques to help the viewer be a part of the struggles and to empathise with the characters within these texts.
The seven stages of grieving is a pastiche of monologues, collaborated together to create a nonlinear production about the grieving process of those Aboriginal Australians that have had their identity and their possessions taken away from them, known as the stolen generation. The struggles of the characters are presented in multiple ways. This play opens with a large block of ice suspended by ropes, melting and dripping into a freshly turned grave of red earth. This theatrical technique sets the mood for the play, and allows the audience to speculate on the possible opening of this play. The stage is dark and the only sound is the constant drip of the ice slowly melting. As the audience listens and focuses more, they are drawn into the atmosphere of the play.
- Eucalyptus leaves. Burning, (sight, smells, sound) Theatrical technique.
- Song, emotional capability – dramatic technique
- Personal reflection – dramatic technique. – helps to associate with the audience and for them to empathise.
- Photograph story. – Sound scapes. Photographs, visual stimulation.
- Sitting near a grave. Visual props, Death, something everyone can relate to. Emotional depth
- Dramatic form – powerful text. “They sat in my father’s seat” subtle symbolism. Eg; the audience figures it out. – Losing dignity, white’s taking over.
- Multimedia. – Visual stimulation, allows speculation on one’s past. Representing technology + past merging.
- Stand up comedy – comic relief. adds levels to the performance and light and shade. Comedy has racial jokes, funny but in a bad way.
- “The march” simple, and emotive. Effective text, repetition.
- Visual symbols, In “gallery of sorrow” – Presenting images, any Australian can relate to.
- Repetitive use of strong, powerful words. Eg reconciliation, (wreck, con silly nation), nothing
- Emotive relation to the audience. Relating to the audience, speaking directly to them. Also more strong text, “They’ve written sorry across the sky”
Just like the seven stages of grieving, Ruby Moon, also has powerful symbolism and dramatic techniques. Ruby Moon is a densely layered, evocative and rich piece of work. It follows a confusing but compelling story of the result of a young child going missing. Ruby represents innocence, and all the childlike qualities that children portray in their younger years. As the parents uncover the possibilities of the Ruby’s whereabouts, they discover the truth about themselves, and question their existence. Ruby Moon deals with the universal fear of suburbia. The characters are struggling with the questions anyone faces when they lose something; getting it back.
- Stage setting – Cull-de-sac, circular motion, cyclic nature
- In one production – washing line to change the scenes
- Two actors playing each character
- Strange text – adds complication
- Is the child actually missing? Leaving questions unanswered
- Red, constant colour.
- Theatrical technique – stereotyped characters – churchy, crazy, image obsessed young girl.
CONCLUSION
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