After Dinner - Andrew Bovell

I hate when you read something and it starts and it’s interesting and it progressing, until it gets to the peak and then it’s all downhill from there. That’s how I felt about the play I read this week. The characters were built up really well, we got to know the free spirited Paula, the emotion Misha and the controlling Dympie. And the male character to, the shy Gordon and the overly confident Stephan. They we’re written so well and I could see a conflict beginning. But when we got into Act 2, I just didn’t enjoy the play quite as much anymore.

The play is based around five people and their various issues. They’re all at a restaurant waiting for a band to begin playing for their Friday night out. We find out that Paula and Dympie are good friends and they invite their other friend Micha to dinner to help her get out of the house after her husband has just passed away. Gordon is there to meet up with his work friends as he himself is getting over his marriage break-up. As the night progresses the girls get themselves into a fight and Misha completely breaks down and lets loose, which doesn’t impress the uptight Dympie at all. Gordon shows his emotions leaving him with people assuming he’s gay, and Stephan voices his intimate problems.

The play is a dark comedy, which I understand, and for the most part there were humorous situations. There were parts which made you cringe a little, parts that made you laugh. The characters were developed well and the closing statement by Gordon wrapped the play up in a bow. But for me it wasn’t the best comedy play that I’ve ever read.

 I thought this play might fit into our season because of the broken families and I thought the play would change scenarios and situations, but it didn’t so it just wouldn’t be the best fit for our season. 

Julia

Desire - Alex Broun

Wow! There is so much about this play that I think is perfect for our theme: Australian relationships.  It is set in the 1990’s but I think it could be changed to now very easily.  Even better than that as far as logistics and money goes, the play is free to produce (as are most of Alex Broun’s works). 

This play is all about sex, desire and finding oneself, and is set predominantly in Sydney’s nightlife scene.  The main issue with producing this is the required stage space- but with further research I’m sure I can find a way to have it performed at Griffin Theatre.

By moving the bar from Kinsela’s to The Ivy (or of course to avoid legal reason something that reminds others of The Ivy) the audience can draw more meaning from Gerald’s monologue in Scene Four.  That said, I think there is enough controversy going around at the moment about people being rejected at the door that everyone will just understand it without reference to The Ivy – at them moment there is a Facebook group going around against discrimination at the door of bars, pubs and clubs of Sydney.  But discrimination is only just touched on, for the most part Desire is about sex, love, drugs and manipulation. 

Sounds good right?

Well at first I was a sceptic, but then as I read on and a started to envision Desire in our two venues I started to get excited.  I thought to myself, this both perfectly fits into our theme but is also different enough to give the season that extra bit of zing.

While reading Desire I started to think about the target audience.  Do we want all the plays open to everyone or do we want specific plays for specific people.  If we choose Desire as one of our plays, I think we would be leaning more towards the latter.  Which you know I think is a good thing.  That is the beauty of Australian plays, they tell so many different stories, and f course some are going to resonate more with some than others.  In all seriousness Desire would have to be a MA play (is that what you call it in the theatre?) because there are a few themes that may be too much for younger audience members.

Alex’s Blurb:

Sydney. Summer. In the nightclubs, bars and cafes of the harbour city four young people are searching. But what for ? Sex. Love. Friendship. DESIRE follows the lives of four young adults - Lara, Kate, Gerald and Patrick - caught in a web of interlocking friendships, relationships and romance. A quartet striving for some substance in an image obsessed world. When it broke Box Office records at the Crossroads Theatre in 1994 - The Sydney Morning Herald said DESIRE "hums with an inner city pulse of traffic, caffeine and designer drugs." The Telegraph Mirror described the play as "slick and fast moving" and "an accurate reflection of where it's at", while the Australian National Playwright's Centre said DESIRE has the "makings of a cult theatre classic." When was the last time you saw a play that explored the way you feel ? DESIRE is that play. Sex, love or friendship - what do you want? 

Alice x.

Bran Nue Dae - Jimmy Chi

Almost as soon as I started reading Bran Nue Dae I knew that it wasn’t right for our season.  The play/ musical is conceptually beautiful however; it requires a stage that Griffin Theatre cannot cater for.  That said there is a certain quality to Bran Nue Dae which is gripping.  And now that we have decided that we will discuss two different venues it is possible that could be part of at least one season.  The language used in Bran Nue Dae is humorous and light, and is a crucial element to the play.  Now I know that sounds funny, the text is important to the play, of course it is, but what I’m trying to say is that the way the characters speak is important, how they say it, what they say.  It is a coming of age / coming home stories that but with Aboriginal protagonists.  So that brings me to the play Julia has done Stolen, which we have chosen to be the Indigenous Australian play -then again that is not to say we can’t use more than one, but that Bran Nue Dae definitely does not make the cut.  Another thing that I should mention is that Bran Nue Dae is a musical, which I must admit is what drew me to it first.  I thought this is different, and there might just be a place for it in the season.  But really when you think about it, it may be far too left field.  So I guess it’s time I give you the low down on this play.

Bran Nue Dae is a 1990 musical set in Broome, WA.  It portrays stories and issues relating to Indigenous Australians.  I was written by Jimmy Chi and his band Knuckles, and was the first Aboriginal musical. 

The story goes a little like this:

“In the Summer of 1969 a young man is filled with the life of the idyllic old pearling port Broome - fishing, hanging out with his mates and his girl. However his mother returns him to the religious mission for further schooling. After being punished for an act of youthful rebellion, he runs away from the mission on a journey that ultimately leads him back home.”(IMDB)

For some silly reason I can't find any pictures from theatre productions of Bran Nue Dae so the 2009 film adaption will have to do.

Alice x.

The Floating World- John Romeril

First off I’d like to thank Emma for getting me onto this play, I really enjoyed it and it opened my eyes to a theme that seems to be running through most of my chosen plays.

So far I have studied, Away, Summer of the Aliens, Cosi and with the exception of The Removalists all the plays have alluded to a war or some kind of global conflict.  Now it is my guess that not everyone knew about this play, whether I’m right or wrong I am glad I found it and am sure it will fit well into the season (can’t find any recent productions or any photos of anything other than the cover).  I think it is about time that we pulled The Floating World out dusted it off and aired it out.

For those of you that don’t know the play it is set in 1974 on board a Cherry Blossom cruise ship travelling from Melbourne to Yokohama, Japan.  On board this ship is Les Harding a POW from World War Two.  As the cruise draws closer to Japan suppressed memories begin to bubble to the surface for Les.  This results in his rather bizarre behaviour and plotting to do harm to the Japanese people once they arrive. 

A great deal of the play provides insight into the psyche of an Australian POW and the lasting affect that being a POW can have- in this case leading to hallucinations and attempted violence.

Before reading the play I thought the obvious, that the floating world referred to the cruise ship- which it could still do.  However, after some investigation I found out that the floating world is a term used by the Japanese to describe (in the simplest form) a pleasure seeking lifestyle.

The play in meant to be an ironic comment on Australian xenophobia, which yes it is.  Les discriminates against all Asian people, lumping them all into the category of “Japs”.  That said, I can understand that even after thirty years it is hard to forget the horrors of a POW camp. 

The Floating World also touches upon the issues of a changing society/world.  Class, economics and politics are all questioned throughout the play.

To finish off this little foray into the world of Romeril I would like to note that my Grandpa was a POW working on the Thai/Burma railway and that reading this play really highlighted how absolutely horrible it must’ve been for him (because what Romeril wrote isn’t too far off the mark).  And just so you know he is now 92 and very much alive and kicking!

Alice x.

Stolen – Jane Harrison

This play this week was a really different read to plays I’ve been reading for this course. I know I’ve been reading and blogging on Australian plays but for some reason it was only this week that it dawned on me to read an Aboriginal play. I feel like a dirty white person. Of course if our theme is Australian plays through the years, it’s so important to tell an Aboriginal story, and the play ‘Stolen’ is a play about a huge moment in Australian history, that I’m sure most people would rather forget. It brings to the front the horrible and unforgivable way the government stole children from Aboriginal families and the effects that changed these children’s lives forever.

There are five characters in the play, which also double up and play various roles. Each child has a story their own, how they were taken from their families and put into a children’s home. Each character has their own journey, one girl is adopted by a caring white family, another girl is abused and hurt, another girl falls pregnant and is in search of her children. There are two young boys, one is searching for home and a sense of belonging and the other is a naughty boy who acts out in fear. We are shown through the characters lives, jumping from their adult lives, to their childhood to their adolescent lives. At each stage of their lives we’re shown their frustrations and the confusion of being taken away, and treat terribly.

Jane Harrison has written this play beautifully. The care she has taken with each child to depict their story and also the care she has taken to uphold the Aboriginal culture, and the dreamtime stories that make the children feel safe. As well as keeping the Aboriginal culture alive, she hasn’t totally disgraced white people, she has a caring white family for the youngest girl, which illustrates the good that they thought they were doing.

This play would be a fantastic inclusion for our production. As I mentioned it’s part of Australia’s history, and these are the stories that define Australia and the culture that our society has created and built. This was bleak time in Australia’s history, although it’s important that we show the good the bad and the horrible to our audiences, to show the real culture and development of our country. 

5 'Children' in the Children's home with their suitcases

Julia!

Cosi – Louis Nowra

Cosi is yet another semi autobiographical piece by Louis Nowra.  Did I mention that last time? That Summer of the Aliens was semi autobiographical?  Well it was.  There are quite a few similarities in the two plays (and yes for good reason).  For starters the main character is yet again Lewis, but now it is 1970 and he is a university graduate.  Nowra mostly maintains his style of play writing, however, I was sad to read that he did not include the Narrator voice in Cosi.  The reason behind this we cannot know, although I do speculate that perhaps the narrator in Summer of the Aliens was this older Lewis, but then again probably not.  Not having a narrator does not take away from the theatricality of the play.  What seems to be a theme in these two plays is that they are in fact plays.  In Summer of the Aliens the narrator is used as a tool to remind the audience of the theatre, whereas in Cosi, Nowra uses the idea of a play within a play to get the very same message across.  In fact there are quite a few jibs at the theatre within the play.
Cosi is set amidst the chaos of the Vietnam War (1970) and takes place in a theatre that is part of a mental institution.  Lewis is working as a play director there for money.  Throughout his time there Lewis forms relationships with the patients and begins to learn more about himself and life.
Cosi, like all of the plays I have read so far has a quite basic set.  For me, this excites me.  I think that there is so much that can be done with a blank canvass. 
Summer of the Aliens and Cosi depend upon the time in which they were depicted in order to give the plays more meaning.  Therefore, there are not too many changes that could be made. 
Before today I had never read Cosi, I had heard of it because of Standard English HSC, but it never occurred to me to read it.  So I am glad this project came along and gave me a reason.
I know I am meant to be discovering Australian plays that are virtually unheard of, but for me this running simplicity is engaging and I would like to explore it further.

Alice x.

Summer of the Aliens – Louis Nowra

I’d forgotten what an exciting play this was to read.  That said, it is hard to describe this play.  Although I have to say it really is a true blue Aussie classic.  My favourite element of Australian plays such as Summer of the Aliens and Away is the honestly.  There is an effortlessness to them that makes them so beautiful.  Through the play you get a very real sense of what it would’ve been like living in an Australian housing estate in the 1960’s.  The crass beauty of Lewis’ situation and the way he conducts himself around it is quite striking.  But first for those who do not know the story of Summer of the Aliens:  Set in a Melbourne housing estate during 1962 in the midst of the Cuban Missile Crisis*.  That the entirety of the play takes place during the crisis we are able to determine that the actions take place within a 2 week period.  What interests me most is the way that the crisis is both part of and ineffectual of the lives of those around the housing estate.  But anyway I’m getting off track. The play. Well… Lewis is a teenager “growing up in a Melbourne housing commission suburb.  He is preoccupied with flying saucers…” Summer of the Aliens is a vivid and amusing evocation of a family and a neighbourhood whose increasingly strange behaviour Lewis is forced to interpret in the only way he can – the aliens must be amongst us.”  That said it is just as much a coming of age story as Lewis is on the cusp of adulthood.  Summer of the Aliens also comments on the prevalence of domestic violence and sexual abuse- especially within a housing commission suburb.  I would actually really like to use this play as part of my season- I believe it is lost gem of Australian theatre.

*The Cuban Missile Crisis was a stand off between the Soviet Union (and Cuba) and the United States in October 1962 as part of The Cold War.  The Soviets and Cubans were building bases in Cuba for a number of nuclear weapons (to be used against the US).  The whole world feared the start of a new war, their fears were eased after 2 weeks of tension.

Alice x.

Gary’s House – Debra Oswald

I really enjoyed reading this week! This has been my favourite play so far. It had this perfect mix of comedy, tragedy and drama. There was a building of relationships, and a big surprise at the start of act 2. I really loved this play so much and I couldn’t help myself reading the play aloud in that thick Australian accent that comes through the writing so well with Gary and Sue-Anne.

The play is focused around a house being built on an inherited block of land in the country. The opening act of the play introduces us to Gary and Sue-Anne a couple who against all odds, they’re building a house, and they’re just about to have a baby together. The task seems impossible, but Gary is so determined and loves Sue-Anne so much, he forces himself to make this work. We’re introduced to the mysterious next door neighbour Dave, he becomes a friend and huge part of their lives. We also met Gary’s sister Christine, a business woman, she doesn’t see herself ever living in the country, she’s determined to have her half of the land sold, and her and her brother don’t get on at all. After the shock death of Gary in act 2 we see the relationships between Christine, Sue-Anne and Dave develop. Gary’s death brings everyone together. Christine takes on the task of building the house.

The final scene in the play, there is an emotional scene between Christine, her brother Gary and Clint, Sue-Anne’s baby boy. The way that Debora writes this, you can just see in your mind and feel the emotion coming out of the paper. The rift between the siblings has been totally erased. The house that Gary began and Christine finished is like a symbol of their lives, being unfinished to being repaired.

I could definitely see this play being in our season. It’s a different kind of Australian family. It’s a broken family although it has such a strong sense of Australian culture and obviously language, it would illustrate our theme of Australian theme’s and families extremely well. 

Minimal staging for Gary's House


Julia!

Still Angela – Jenny Kemp

Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of Still Angela. Confusing at times, but in the end it finally makes sense. Still Angela was published in 2002 so it’s a modern Australian play, which is a change from last week. From reading a classic 60’s Australian play to a 00’s Australian play, there are so many differences, not just in the themes tackled but also the writing itself. In Still Angela there is a different use of the stage space, and character development.

Still Angela is a story of a woman called Angela, and her life. It’s just before her birthday and she goes through a physical and imaginative journey through her life from her childhood to her adult life. There are 3 Angela’s in the play, to signify 3 periods of her life. Angela 1 is in her 20’s, Angela 2, 30’s and Angela 3 is in her 40’s. Throughout her life we’re introduced to different people who have effected and changed her life. We see the sad and tragic parts of her life and then memories that she loves. Finally the 3 Angela’s learn to celebrate and accept their lives, and finally she is happy and appreciative of the people in her life.

The play repeats itself a little, it highlights the cyclical nature of her life. With her partner she goes through the same routine every morning, and through each Angela, at different stages of her life, we see different changes that come with age, but also things that are defining of her character. The play is broken into sections from the prologue to section 1-8. Each section is a different part of her life and part of her memory, which as I was reading I was able to build a type of character that Angela was.

For our season, I’m not quite sure if this play would be realistic, just because of the use of the stage. Again at the theatre that we have chosen to play our season, there is minimal space, although I can see this play being adapted for a smaller stage. Visually this play could become quite complex, although because it is a very symbolic and more imaginative kind of play, the freedom it would give to the actors and the directors to play with what the audience will end up seeing, it could turn out to be a true and original adaption of Still Angela. 

3 Angela's - 20's 30's & 40's

Scene with her partner - Chess board is central to the whole play.

Julia!

The Season at Sarsaparilla

I knew what happened in the play week! It’s a nice change from last week! This week I read the Season at Sarsaparilla by Patrick White. I must admit that this play took me a little while to get into. I think this is definitely a play that is received better on stage than from reading. Although once I got my head around characters and jumping between houses, this was when I was able to understand and read more freely.

The play is set in a fictional town in the outer suburbs of Sydney called Sarsaparilla. Mildred Street to be precise, in the summer of 1961. The way that White creates the set is with three house interiors open on stage. Three different typically Australian families. Being set in the 1960’s the values and the household dynamics are definitely of the time. The male goes off to work, while to woman stays home, does the housework and prepares dinner for their husbands coming home. White creates three realities on stage, three different types of families. The story revolves around the street, each household has a story. I found it interesting that at the time the play is set, there is still a very British attitude about the characters. There is a scene in which a couple Nora and Ernie are fighting and are very upset, although they pull themselves together so that the neighbours don’t see their emotions. Ernie also has friend who comes to visit who is his friend, presumably from the war. The themes of war, and the mateship that is founded through the time is brought through the play also.

I also found it interesting that White chose to use miming throughout the play. Although there is a set of kitchen, with the stove and fridge, table and chairs, there is specific direction to mime. Perhaps this links in with the sub-title of the play ‘A Charade of Suburbia’. In the final scenes in the play, the post-office clerk, Roy, is speaking over the top of everybody’s actions. He becomes the narrator and also puts a neat and tidy finish to the play. Throughout the play Roy speaks about wanting to get away and to write a book. When he finally leaves at the end and as he’s narrating, it leaves you with a feeling that he wrote this story of these families and he was finished with this story to start another.

It was an interesting play, and like I said it’s definitely a play that benefit’s from being seen onstage. It also has strong themes of Australian culture and Australian life in the 1960’s which makes it a great play for our project.

Stage space is large for all the houses.

Julia!

The Removalists

While reading this play it was screaming at me “PLEASE PERFORM ME AT STABLES THEATRE!” And quite frankly, I agree with it.  This play is a classic Australian stage classic. 

The play follows two police officers: Ross a fresh out of training cop working his first beat and Simmonds an old timer with his own attitude to the law.  On Ross’ first shirt two sisters come in claiming that one of their husbands is abusive.  They enlist the help of the officers to move Fiona’s furniture out of the house she shares with her husband.  The husband Kenny is meant to be out of the house during the move however upon his unexpected arrival trouble ensues. 

The main themes the play addresses are violence- more specifically domestic violence (Kenny on Fiona), and the abuse of power and authority- not only by the police but husbands over wives, and in some respects women’s sexual authority.

The play is meant to represent a microcosm of 1970’s Australian society. 

David Williamson explored the above-mentioned themes through his characters.  The character Simmonds represents the police abuse of power, and how victims and witnesses are powerless against it.  He is also chauvinistic and in some respects a sexual predator.  Kate is the feminine mirror of Simmonds.  Ross is represented as a very nervous and shy young man, this however masked a darker part of his character.  Fiona is the passive housewife that fits into the stereotypical gender roles of Australia in the 1970’s.  Kenny is represented as hot headed, egotistical, and violent.  Most remarkable is the Removalist- he (from what I have read of the play) represents the typical “sitting on the fence” attitude of Australians.  More than that, he is representative of a plain old Joe, working hard for his money (and at times looking for chances to slack off). 

There is an option for an interval, which I think I’ll take in order to change the set.  I don’t think there is too much I could do to change this play, because it revolves around domestic violence and societies attitude towards it.  These days domestic violence is a horrible assault, but back then there wasn’t much a wife could do but file a report.  But maybe I could use that in comparison to now some how, I’ll get back to you on that.

Overall I thought it was a fresh and confronting play, and I’m really looking forward to working with it.

Australian film trailer:

These photos are from a 2009 Sydney Theatre Co production of The Removalists.


Alice x.

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.

Our Project Proposal

Australian theatre is fascinating, the stories have taught us a lot about our culture, and our unique qualities about living in Australia. Theatre in Australia has changed over time, from stories of the bush legends to vaudeville comedy acts, to stories about Australian families and stories of our country. Playwrights such as Patrick White (The Ham Funeral, The Season at Sarsparilla), David Williamson (Don’s Party, The Removalists) Michael Gow (Away, Toy Symphony) and Matt Cameron (Ruby Moon, Tear from a Glass Eye), just to name a few, have all contributed to building Australian theatre up to where it is now. Because of Australia’s rich culture theatre has been able to flourish and continue to change.

Alice and I propose that we put on a season of six plays, which celebrate the Australian culture, the Australian community, and our way of life. We want to look at how theatre in Australia has adapted and changed over time, focusing between the 1950’s and the present. To do this we want to choose a play from each era which portrays aspects of Australian culture. We want to show the public what it is to be Australian. We’re also looking at relationships between people within our culture, and the ways they have changed.

Because of our strong focus on Australian theatre and Australian culture, we also propose that we stage our season with the Griffin Theatre Company, performing at the stables theatre, in Kings Cross in Sydney. We have chosen Griffin Theatre Company and the Stables Theatre performance space because of it’s home grown and Australian focus. Since its establishment in 1979, it is the only professional company in Sydney which is dedicated to the production and development of Australian plays, supporting both upcoming and established Australian playwrights. The company is so dedicated to supporting and promoting Australian material that in 1981 they made an ‘all Australia policy’ so all the material performed and supported was all Australian. The Griffin Theatre Company also works with schools to encourage youth to enjoy Australian theatre. They also run outreach programs and workshops within the company to promote theatre within the community. Many Australian actors and Australian playwrights started their careers at the Stables Theatre with the Griffin Company. One of our chosen plays, Away by Michael Gow, premiered in the stables theatre, and we love that we can bring it back with our season celebrating both the past and contemporary Australian theatre productions.

The plays that Julia and I have chosen for our season at the Griffin/Stables Theatre are all classic Australian plays that celebrate the unique qualities of living in Australia. They are each from a different decade following the World War Two (1950’s – 2000’s), however they are not necessarily representative of the era in which they were written. As Julia has explained we endeavour to link these plays not only through the obvious connection that they are all Australian, but also the unique relationships that are represented within.

To kick our season off we will start with the 1950’s classic Summer of the Seventeenth Doll. Written by Ray Lawler and first performed in 1955, this play explores the intricacies of relationships in the 1950’s. It follows the story of two sugarcane cutters who annually travel south to Melbourne to visit two women and as per tradition, give them a doll. However, the summer of the seventeenth doll is different, wrought with tension and disappointment. Summer of the Seventeenth Doll is renowned for authentically portraying Australian life, and therefore is the perfect play to start our season that celebrates the beauty of Australian theatre.

The next play to hit the stage will be The Season at Sarsaparilla, written by Patrick White. This play sits firmly within our theme of the celebration of Australian culture, community and the Australian way of life as it follows the lives of families in ordinary suburban Australia. The prospect of working with this play excites us because we believe that there is a lot we could do to make it relevant for contemporary audiences.

The Removalists, written by David Williamson is the play we have chosen from the 1970’s. It is another classic Australian play, which this time depicts a broken marriage and its fallout. It is interesting to note at this stage that all these Australian plays have a dark undertone. Yet again it will be interesting for both Julia and myself to try and adapt the play to a contemporary audience and really try to develop the unique Australian story it portrays.

Now to a personal favourite of mine, Away, written by Michael Gow. This play follows the stories of three internally conflicted families holidaying on the coast for the Christmas of 1968. The play explores the human responses to death, racism, class and relationships. As Julia has previously mentioned, Away was first performed by the Griffin Theatre Company in 1986, and therefore it will be interesting to bring it back to celebrate both the past and contemporary theatre in Australia.

The next stop of the nostalgia train is Louis Nowra in the 1990’s. It is yet undecided whether we will present Cosi or Summer of the Aliens, as both delve deep into very different, yet equally interesting relationships. Cosi is the story of a man who puts on a performance with the patients. Through this process of working with the patients, the man discovers a new side to himself. Summer of the Aliens is about a 14 year old boy who is obsessed with aliens; he uses this obsession to mask his own adolescent confusion about the changing world around him. Summer of the Aliens is the prequel to Cosi.

Last but not least is the deeply macabre Matt Cameron play Ruby Moon. This play is a fractured fairytale that explores the story of a couple struggling after the disappearance of their daughter. It is set in the heart of Australian suburbia and therefore fits in perfectly into our season.
Julia and I hope to celebrate the beauty of Australian theatre through our choice of both the plays and the venue. Australian theatre is fascinating, the stories have taught us a lot about our culture, and our unique qualities about living in Australia. What we love most is the stark contrast between the authentic and abstract depictions of how unique the Australian culture is, our families and the dynamics of the Australian household.


Julia & Alice x.

Ruby Moon - Matt Cameron

Right! So, I read Ruby Moon by Matt Cameron. How do I begin a blog about a play that I’m not entirely sure what to believe or think? I do know the play was about  a young girl named Ruby Moon going missing from her family home. Her mother Sylvie Moon and her father Ray Moon, are tormented by their daughters disappearance. Sounds simple enough right? Well that’s where you’re wrong! This narrative is far more sinister and dark than it seems. Matt Cameron creates a dark and mysterious suburban world, which leaves you questioning, what are the neighbours really up to? How much do you know about the couple up the street?

Ruby Moon has two male and female characters, and they each play four characters each. From the get go, it seems that the mother Sylvie is going crazy with the grief over her missing child. The story unfolds with each actor playing each neighbour in the street talking and explaining about the day Ruby was taken. Each character is outrageously strange, and all have their own different stories of the day. After each encounter with the strange neighbouring characters, we’re taken back to the Moon’s home, and their still piecing the story of their missing little girl together. Until finally at the end, the story comes together, but you still don’t know if Ruby is real, or if she was who was at fault, or is this just a strange crazy couple who do this for fun?

Matt Cameron sets his scenes so amazingly well throughout the play. Just to begin the play, he sets the scene by writing “A timeless, placeless world…a room evoking dust covered memory…There is also a street lamp and the bare branches of blackened trees pointing like gnarled fingers through a vivid night sky. A full moon hovers.” I love this kind of description throughout, it sets an amazing and eerie atmosphere to a recognisable environment of the home. He incorporates sounds to emphasise the emptiness of the stage. I really enjoyed how he created the separate characters of the neighbours although keeping characteristics of Sylvie and Ray though them, which gave the feeling that were these people real? Or were they characters in the minds of Sylvie and Ray? The creepy doll pieces that were being sent to the parents, was a interesting narrative development, it was like someone else was involved, and they’re putting together their story.

I really enjoyed reading Ruby Moon. Although I still don’t know if it was the parents, or the ice cream man or it was just a crazy sick weird story in the minds of crazy people. I still really enjoyed it. I know that I won’t see a picture perfect street as just quaint any more, I think I’ll always question what’s going on behind closed doors. Julia!

 

STC Production