Australia Drama question (1 Viewer)

[Jinzo]

Today our drama teacher told us the questions that's going to be in our half yearlys and the questions are:

(1) Australian Theatre - "Australian plays explores the different ways people cope when things change or go wrong" Discuss this statement with reference to the dramatic forms, styles, and conventions of the plays you have studied, showing how Australian plays put changing circumstanceson the stage and how characters respond.


(2) American Theatre - "Theatre has to extend realism if it is to accurately reflect real life". Using this statement as a starting point, discuss how TWO American plays might be produced on the contemporary stage using Expressionist and Symbolic techniques.

Anybody have any clue? I dunno if I can write 3 pages on one single statement. Any resources? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[The Brucemaster]

Well the Aust Theatre question is clearly about characterisation so just talk about two contrasting characters and the different ways they deal with change.
I cant be more specific unless you tell us what plays you've studied though!

As for American theatre you have to say how realism is inadequate to deal with the ideas of the playwrights. You'll need to have some understanding of the playwrights themselves for this (again, need to know who they are!) and then explain how the play could be staged. Obviously you cant write about the whole play so pick maybe two key scenes and discuss in detail how they would be staged.

 

[^CoSMic DoRiS^^]

jinzo, just wondering what school you go to? coz we got the exact same australian question, lol. do you know what plays you're doing this year? basically i agree with what the brucemaster said though; talk about how the characters deal with change and/or negative circumstance. do they cope at all and if not, why?

 

[Jinzo]

Australian Plays - 7 Stages of Grieving & A Beautiful Life
American Plays - A Streetcar Named Desire and Desire Under The Elms

 

[_muse_]

ha i had that question last year... (the australian one) from memory i thought it was rather easy to see where the changing circumstances occurred, but then again I didn't do the plays you are studying

 

[The Brucemaster]

Alright the only one ive done out of those is Streetcar but with that question its a walk in the park because all the staging is given to you in the script in great detail. As for actors and directors i cant really help you there because thats down to your own interpretation of the characters. Same could actually go for staging now that i think about it, just choose a central theme to emphasise and let that guide all you decisions.

 

[tanguyen]

The Australian drama question was actually used in the HSC before... the teacher gave it to us as a "practise" and said it was 2002 or something, definitely pre-2004 seeing as they changed the syllabus by removing Touch of Silk and adding in "The Removalists". We did Touch of Silk for 8 of the weeks in term 4 until the teacher goes, "Lol.. omg... you won't believe this but I gave you a book that wasn't in the syllabus!" Ahh but we're beginning to cope now though...

 

[Gangels]

What i wanna know is why the hell his drama teacher told him the exam questions before the exam. Does he/she not know that your not meant to know whats in an exam, therefore making an exam an exam.

 

[Jinzo]

I meant, she said those questions that she gave us will be very similar to the half-yearlys

 

[^CoSMic DoRiS^^]

What i wanna know is why the hell his drama teacher told him the exam questions before the exam. Does he/she not know that your not meant to know whats in an exam, therefore making an exam an exam.

our teacher did that, sort of...she gave us two possible questions for each topic and said that the exam would be one of them.

 

[Gangels]

I meant, she said those questions that she gave us will be very similar to the half-yearlys

Oh ok. Ours didnt even do that. She just said that it will be on everthing we have studied in the last year or so. So we had to prepare just about every aspect of the club, the removalists, 17th doll, and two brechtian plays. How come i get the stupid teacher!I'll trade ya?

 

[The Brucemaster]

I knew almost half the questions for my half yearlies. Partly due to deduction, partly due to teachers giving us a choice between two.

 

[sherryshoo]

did anybody else study ruby moon?

i really really REALLY need some help
has anybody else studied "Ruby Moon" by Matt Cameron?
or is just my stupid school?
im having alot of trouble finding any good notes about dramatic conventions, style etc and would really appreciate some help if youve studied it.
ta x

 

[_muse_]

Re: did anybody else study ruby moon?

they took the touch of silk out of the syllabus?

 

[sherryshoo]

MM i would not know lol we looked at it breifly like as a background on aus theatre but yes
my teacher the darling decides we will do a play thats been written in the past 2 yrs i dont know why, no ones done it, there are no out side resources lol oh and she expects us to be able to link it to "7 stages of greiving"
it doesnt, beleive me.

 

[butterflyxx]

Does anyone do Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, Removalists and No Sugar?

I dunno what to write about them for my essay. Our teacher doesn't teach us =(

And who does Brecht? Threepeny Opera and Caucasian Chalk Circle?

I need notes badly ='(

 

[Gangels]

Does anyone do Summer of the Seventeenth Doll, Removalists and No Sugar?

I dunno what to write about them for my essay. Our teacher doesn't teach us =(

And who does Brecht? Threepeny Opera and Caucasian Chalk Circle?

I need notes badly ='(

Yeh we have those, except No Sugar, havent done that.

17th doll- Just talk about the doll significance, their history e.g Nancy, The mum, whats her name, oh well olives mum, Bubba's significance in their realisation of being old. And the realism aspect

Removalists - Thats a harder one, but just think about simmons sleaze, Ross's quietness and when he speaks up, kate and fiona, Fiona and Simmons are like the boss. Kate is quiet as well, note when she speaks up. Kenny, he is a cliche'd character, classic aussie male, note his insults and his treatment, way he gets treated etc.

With Brecht, study more his direction than the speech. If you can find his techniques e.g character changes( on stage), lighting, signs, actor/audience relation (speaking to the audience) and note what the characters do. Look for political statements (like black workers etc.)

Thats just a few things. Just look for those in particular and you'll be able to make som notes of your own. Hope that helps.

 

[Jinzo]

(1) Australian Theatre - "Australian plays explores the different ways people cope when things change or go wrong" Discuss this statement with reference to the dramatic forms, styles, and conventions of the plays you have studied, showing how Australian plays put changing circumstanceson the stage and how characters respond.

What would be a good way to start off this essay? My drama exam is tomorrow =/

 

[Xander_S]

I've got the exact same question for my hand in task, the Australian one that is...but i'm doing A Beautiful Life and Ruby Moon....i also agree with Sherryshoo....because im having the exact same difficulties with Ruby Moon...its a pathetic text and it drives me nuts!!! So any help at all would be appreciated....

Thanks,
Xander

Today our drama teacher told us the questions that's going to be in our half yearlys and the questions are:

(1) Australian Theatre - "Australian plays explores the different ways people cope when things change or go wrong" Discuss this statement with reference to the dramatic forms, styles, and conventions of the plays you have studied, showing how Australian plays put changing circumstanceson the stage and how characters respond.


(2) American Theatre - "Theatre has to extend realism if it is to accurately reflect real life". Using this statement as a starting point, discuss how TWO American plays might be produced on the contemporary stage using Expressionist and Symbolic techniques.

Anybody have any clue? I dunno if I can write 3 pages on one single statement. Any resources? Any help would be appreciated.

 

[butterflyxx]

Yeh we have those, except No Sugar, havent done that.

17th doll- Just talk about the doll significance, their history e.g Nancy, The mum, whats her name, oh well olives mum, Bubba's significance in their realisation of being old. And the realism aspect

Removalists - Thats a harder one, but just think about simmons sleaze, Ross's quietness and when he speaks up, kate and fiona, Fiona and Simmons are like the boss. Kate is quiet as well, note when she speaks up. Kenny, he is a cliche'd character, classic aussie male, note his insults and his treatment, way he gets treated etc.

With Brecht, study more his direction than the speech. If you can find his techniques e.g character changes( on stage), lighting, signs, actor/audience relation (speaking to the audience) and note what the characters do. Look for political statements (like black workers etc.)

Thats just a few things. Just look for those in particular and you'll be able to make som notes of your own. Hope that helps.

Aw man thanks a bunch!! That helped