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