Away - Michael Gow

Gosh! Well I can’t say I have ever written an assessment in the format of a blog before.  Is this where I throw in some witty comment about the theatre?  Or do I just hop right into it and talk about the play I read this week?  Well for the sake of anyone who happens to read this I will try not to ramble (too much).  This week I have read Away written by Michael Gow.  This play is an all time favourite of mine (by all time I mean I first became aware of it about 5 years ago).  To start I will recap what I said about the play in my proposal, and then from there I will propose any changes which will make the play more appropriate for modern audiences.  Away follows the stories of three internally conflicted families holidaying on the coast for the Christmas of 1968.  It explores the human responses to death, racism, class and relationships (which if you ask me are still very important issues in today’s society- perhaps not class in the same way).  Because the plays main themes are so universal and timeless, there are only minor changes to be made to bring it into the twenty-first century.  Although I do love the beauty and simplicity of the Australian families in the 1960-70’s, I think it would be interesting to change the setting to 2011 (or somewhere near about. Therefore, it is not the Vietnam War that will be referenced but the Afghanistan War, Harry and Vic are not from Britain but another country that is far less appreciated.  There are many aspects or our lives in the twenty-first century that could be referenced in the play.  However I still fight with myself!  Is this necessary?  Furthermore, is it legal?  I’m sure this is all part of the procedure, when the final big assessment comes round I will have to find out how much it costs for the rights of the six different plays and whether or not we are allowed any artistic direction.  I’m sure either way a classically beautiful play such as Away would be marvellous whether or not it was modernised.  That said, it really would be interesting to uncover the changes that would have to be made, for example mobile phone, internet, the fact that teaching isn’t such a glossy profession anymore.  I believe that if Julia and myself were to (in the end) make the modernising changes to the play it would further emphasise the key themes and attitudes that are still apparent today.

Alice x.