Related Texts - Plays
If you don't like reading very much, try using a play as a related text. Plays are quick to read and make you look like a serious student but you're less likely to pick the same text as the rest of NSW than if you picked a poem or a classic novel.
When you read a play try to picture it like a film in your mind. Think about the stage directions and the way the dialogue makes each character different.
· Albee, Esward. (). Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolfe. (Read it online at http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/afraidofwoolf/context.html or Ms Carmyn has a copy). Relationships are made and broken at George and Martha’s dinner party where the ‘fun and games’ reveal the character’s true selves, transitioning to psychological and eventually physical violence. The film version with Elizabeth Taylor is well worth watching, but don’t get side tracked away from examining the dialogue and stage directions (esp. the symbolism of the setting) of the actual play. An American classic, this is an ex HSC text so your markers will know it very well. Recommended for advanced readers. A good study guide can be found at http://www.shmoop.com/afraid-of-virginia-woolf/ .
· Beckett, Samuel. Waiting for Godot (842.914 BEC). In this absurdist play Vladimir and Estrogon wait endlessly on a road waiting for Godot to arrive. The lack of transition is expressed in a literal sense (they wait endlessly for Godot) and in an emotional sense (the circular dialogues which continue despite the changing seasons) throughout the play. There are lots of study guides out there on this play, but you will have to reinterpret them to relate the text to transitions. Recommended for students who have studied enough drama to discuss absurdist theatre (vs realism).
· Beynon, Richard. (1960) The Shifting Heart (A822.3 BEY) This play develops the conflict between Anglo-Australian Pratt family and Italian Bianchi family in who are on the cusp of multicultural changes in 1950’s Australia (ie. the era of assimilation). Focus on the symbolism of the setting and the emotive dialogue. Think about which characters the audience identifies with and why. You could use this text to discuss whether transition is always a good thing.
· Cornelius, Patricia. Boy Overboard (A822 COR) This children’s play tells the story of a refugee boy whose ambition is to play soccer in a peaceful country. Pay special attention to the way the language and characterisation make a complex topic simple enough for a young audience. How does his physical transition to a new world match his emotional development?
· Enright, Nick. Black Rock (A822 ENR) A chilling play which explores the reactions of a community when a teenager is raped at a local party. Focus on the transition experienced by the community as it fragments under pressure and how this is revealed through the dialogue.
· French, Jackie. Hitler’s Daughter (A822 FRE) This play begins with a group of school children discussing the fate of Heidi, Hitler’s hypotheitical daughter, and takes us into WWII Berlin. It examines how social fears and prejudicescreate negative transitions in an individual’s life experience. Although this play is aimed at young people, the structure and staging give you lots of techniques to talk about in your essays. Further information about the Monkey Baa production can be found at http://www.monkeybaa.com.au/hitlers-daughter.html .
· Gibbs, Paige. Lockie Leonard: Human Torpedo (A822 GIB). Surfer-boy, Lockie, is the alienated new boy in town – until he meets Vicki. The exaggerated characterisation and dialogue are an excellent way to present ideas about transition to a young audience. Recommended for standard students.
· Gow, Micheal Away (A822 GOW) this play is set at a beach during the Christmas holidays. Three families meet during a storm and explore and resolve the problems that divide each family. Analyse the Shakespearean references, the symbolism of the setting and the way the dialogue conveys transitions between the characters. This is an ex-HSC text, which is useful for advanced students, but be aware that your markers are likely to know the play well.
· Guare, John Six Degrees of Separation (822 GUA) When Paul turns up to New York art dealer’s flat with a stab wound, they accept him as their son’s friend. However, as the play continues, they discover friends with the same story. This play explores the idea that all people on earth are connected by six degrees of separation – someone knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows the original person. the transitions in this text are largely driven by an intellectual transition, but don't forget about the physical transitions that Paul has gone through to play his role/s in their lives. Be aware that your markers are likely to know the play well (so don’t just watch the film). The Study guide at http://npproseminar.pbworks.com/f/Guare+Resource+Guide.pdf has useful references you could follow up through Auburn library. The theory is tested at Indya.com at http://www.slideshare.net/bharathi26/six-degrees-of-separation .
· Ireland, Vicky. Secrets (822 WIL) Based on Jaqueline Wilson’s best selling novel, this play explores the role of secrets and diaries changing the world of early teen girls’ friendships. Discuss the way the dialogue and staging make this play appropriate for a primary school and early-high school audience. Recommended for ESL students and students who have difficulty reading .
· Ireland, Vicky. The Suitcase Kid (822 WIL) Based on Jaqueline Wilson’s best selling novel, this play explores the effect of divorce on a young girl who travels back and forth between her parents houses and the physical and emotional treansitions she experiences as a result. Discuss the way the dialogue and staging make this play appropriate for a primary school and early-high school audience. Recommended for ESL students and students who have difficulty reading .
· Lawler, Ray Summer of the Seventeeth Doll (A822.3 LAW) This Australian classic explores the tenuous relationships between seasonal workers (sugar cane cutters) and their partners and the transitional phase of this seventeenth year of their relationship. Examine the way connections are made and broken through the colloquial Australian dialogue and the role of symbols. This is an ex-HSC text, so be aware that your markers are likely to know the play well.
· Marsden, John. So much to tell you. In this play a young girl who chooses not to speak after a traumatic experience (revealed later in the play). Focus on the way stage directions and dialogue (esp. by other characters) reveals her gradual transition into a "normal" teeenager. Recommended for ESL students and students who have difficulty reading.
· Morris, Mary. Two Weeks with the Queen: The Play. (A822 MOR). One of the funniest plays you will ever read about death and illness. When Luke’s brother is diagnosed with terminal cancer he is sent to England to live with his uncle. Together with his over-protected cousin and the help of Griff, whose partner is dying of Aids, Luke finds ways to save his brother and come to terms with the concept of death. This play is written for children, so you will need to discuss the way humour, stereotypes and hyperbolic characterisation are used to describe Luke's changing understanding of the nature of Death. Recommended for ESL students and students who have difficulty reading .
· Oswald, Debra. Dags (A822 OSW) Sixteen year old Gillian arrives on stage with her head in a paper bag – not an auspicious beginning for a girl in search of ‘Lurve’. The play depicts her transition from totoal alienation through conformity to her acceptance of herself as an individual. Lots of techniques to discuss here, including the role of puppets on stage, the language changes between Gillian’s monologues to the audience and her dialogue with other characters, the use of gender and social stereotypes and the role of stage directions (esp tone of voice) in creating relationships between the characters. Recommended to standard students and advanced readers who can analyse the postmodern aspects of the staging.
· Parsons, Nick. Dead Heart (A822.3 PAR) When a man is killed on a remote Aboriginal community, Senior Constable Ray Lorkin struggles to find a transition point between Aboriginal tradition and Australian law. Focus on the use of Aboriginal and standard English and the symbolism setting and props. You may be able to find the film version at your local video store.
· Russel, Willy. Blood Brothers (822.914 RUS) This musical examines the relationship of twins who were separated at birth but are found united in death. Focus on the way the dialogue reveals their different upbringings and the transitions that result when the twins are brought together. Don’t forget to explain why the composer chose to reveal their death in the opening scene.
· Shakespeare, William. Much Ado About Nothing http://shakespeare.mit.edu/much_ado/full.html While Hero and Claudio are courting, they talk prickly personalities Benedick and Beatrice into believing they are in love with each other – with hilarious results. Look at the way certain metaphors are extended through the play to establish particular emotional transitions and pay special attention to Beatrice and Benedick’s witty repartee. A film version is available in the library.
· Shaw, Bernard. Pygmalion (822.9 SHA or online at http://www.enotes.com/pygmalion-text ). The story of a lowly flower girl who transforms into an "aristocrat" after learning to speak “high class” English. This play is full of witty comments about the artificiality of a society that uses language to define belonging. Look in particular at the symbolism of the title, the use of cockney dialect and the way stage directions bring characters together. There are several film versions of this play and it was made into the musical My Fair Lady (F MYF)
· Shaw, Bernard. Saint Joan (822.9 SHA) This play traces the life of famous military leader Joan of Arc as she transitions from the first moment she reveals that God sent her to save France from the evil English through military victories to her trial before the English inquisition and eventual canonisation as a saint by the Catholic church. Focus on the alternation of Joan’s acceptance and rejection by other characters and the way the author satirises the fact that she was made into a saint. Look for irony in the plot and the dialogue. Ms Carmyn has an (old but very famous) film version.
· Wilde, Oscar. The Importance of Being Earnest (822 WIL) This late Victorian play is a social satire of the English Upper classes. Filled with exaggerated characters, mistaken identity and witty word play, it follows the changing fortunes of Jack/Ernest, an orphan found in a hand bag in a London railway station. An ex-HSC text, there are lots of study guides (including http://www.shmoop.com/importance-of-being-earnest/ ) on this play as well as a couple of films (don’t forget your text is the actual play). Your markers are likely to know it very well. Recommended for advanced readers.
· Williamson, David. The Club (A822.3 WIL) A social satire of the way football clubs operate, buying and selling players like property. Examine the representation of conflict between the coach, the club president and the players, and the way the dialogue (esp. colloquialisms and profanities) create a sense ofstagnation, trapping the charactyers in a one-dimensional "blokey" culture. A 1970s version of this play can be found at F THE; your video store may have a more recent production.
· Wright, Nicholaus. His Dark Materials (822 WRI). Based on Phillip Pullman’s best selling fantasy trilogy, this play is set in a world where people’s souls are manifest externally as companion animals called ‘daemons’. Although the characters are children, the play is written for a wide audience and contains interesting philosophical ideas about transitions. Recommended for standard students who enjoy fantasy and advanced students who are willing to investigate the literary, religious and scientific references (look online – there are lots of analyses).
When you read a play try to picture it like a film in your mind. Think about the stage directions and the way the dialogue makes each character different.
· Albee, Esward. (). Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolfe. (Read it online at http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/afraidofwoolf/context.html or Ms Carmyn has a copy). Relationships are made and broken at George and Martha’s dinner party where the ‘fun and games’ reveal the character’s true selves, transitioning to psychological and eventually physical violence. The film version with Elizabeth Taylor is well worth watching, but don’t get side tracked away from examining the dialogue and stage directions (esp. the symbolism of the setting) of the actual play. An American classic, this is an ex HSC text so your markers will know it very well. Recommended for advanced readers. A good study guide can be found at http://www.shmoop.com/afraid-of-virginia-woolf/ .
· Beckett, Samuel. Waiting for Godot (842.914 BEC). In this absurdist play Vladimir and Estrogon wait endlessly on a road waiting for Godot to arrive. The lack of transition is expressed in a literal sense (they wait endlessly for Godot) and in an emotional sense (the circular dialogues which continue despite the changing seasons) throughout the play. There are lots of study guides out there on this play, but you will have to reinterpret them to relate the text to transitions. Recommended for students who have studied enough drama to discuss absurdist theatre (vs realism).
· Beynon, Richard. (1960) The Shifting Heart (A822.3 BEY) This play develops the conflict between Anglo-Australian Pratt family and Italian Bianchi family in who are on the cusp of multicultural changes in 1950’s Australia (ie. the era of assimilation). Focus on the symbolism of the setting and the emotive dialogue. Think about which characters the audience identifies with and why. You could use this text to discuss whether transition is always a good thing.
· Cornelius, Patricia. Boy Overboard (A822 COR) This children’s play tells the story of a refugee boy whose ambition is to play soccer in a peaceful country. Pay special attention to the way the language and characterisation make a complex topic simple enough for a young audience. How does his physical transition to a new world match his emotional development?
· Enright, Nick. Black Rock (A822 ENR) A chilling play which explores the reactions of a community when a teenager is raped at a local party. Focus on the transition experienced by the community as it fragments under pressure and how this is revealed through the dialogue.
· French, Jackie. Hitler’s Daughter (A822 FRE) This play begins with a group of school children discussing the fate of Heidi, Hitler’s hypotheitical daughter, and takes us into WWII Berlin. It examines how social fears and prejudicescreate negative transitions in an individual’s life experience. Although this play is aimed at young people, the structure and staging give you lots of techniques to talk about in your essays. Further information about the Monkey Baa production can be found at http://www.monkeybaa.com.au/hitlers-daughter.html .
· Gibbs, Paige. Lockie Leonard: Human Torpedo (A822 GIB). Surfer-boy, Lockie, is the alienated new boy in town – until he meets Vicki. The exaggerated characterisation and dialogue are an excellent way to present ideas about transition to a young audience. Recommended for standard students.
· Gow, Micheal Away (A822 GOW) this play is set at a beach during the Christmas holidays. Three families meet during a storm and explore and resolve the problems that divide each family. Analyse the Shakespearean references, the symbolism of the setting and the way the dialogue conveys transitions between the characters. This is an ex-HSC text, which is useful for advanced students, but be aware that your markers are likely to know the play well.
· Guare, John Six Degrees of Separation (822 GUA) When Paul turns up to New York art dealer’s flat with a stab wound, they accept him as their son’s friend. However, as the play continues, they discover friends with the same story. This play explores the idea that all people on earth are connected by six degrees of separation – someone knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who knows the original person. the transitions in this text are largely driven by an intellectual transition, but don't forget about the physical transitions that Paul has gone through to play his role/s in their lives. Be aware that your markers are likely to know the play well (so don’t just watch the film). The Study guide at http://npproseminar.pbworks.com/f/Guare+Resource+Guide.pdf has useful references you could follow up through Auburn library. The theory is tested at Indya.com at http://www.slideshare.net/bharathi26/six-degrees-of-separation .
· Ireland, Vicky. Secrets (822 WIL) Based on Jaqueline Wilson’s best selling novel, this play explores the role of secrets and diaries changing the world of early teen girls’ friendships. Discuss the way the dialogue and staging make this play appropriate for a primary school and early-high school audience. Recommended for ESL students and students who have difficulty reading .
· Ireland, Vicky. The Suitcase Kid (822 WIL) Based on Jaqueline Wilson’s best selling novel, this play explores the effect of divorce on a young girl who travels back and forth between her parents houses and the physical and emotional treansitions she experiences as a result. Discuss the way the dialogue and staging make this play appropriate for a primary school and early-high school audience. Recommended for ESL students and students who have difficulty reading .
· Lawler, Ray Summer of the Seventeeth Doll (A822.3 LAW) This Australian classic explores the tenuous relationships between seasonal workers (sugar cane cutters) and their partners and the transitional phase of this seventeenth year of their relationship. Examine the way connections are made and broken through the colloquial Australian dialogue and the role of symbols. This is an ex-HSC text, so be aware that your markers are likely to know the play well.
· Marsden, John. So much to tell you. In this play a young girl who chooses not to speak after a traumatic experience (revealed later in the play). Focus on the way stage directions and dialogue (esp. by other characters) reveals her gradual transition into a "normal" teeenager. Recommended for ESL students and students who have difficulty reading.
· Morris, Mary. Two Weeks with the Queen: The Play. (A822 MOR). One of the funniest plays you will ever read about death and illness. When Luke’s brother is diagnosed with terminal cancer he is sent to England to live with his uncle. Together with his over-protected cousin and the help of Griff, whose partner is dying of Aids, Luke finds ways to save his brother and come to terms with the concept of death. This play is written for children, so you will need to discuss the way humour, stereotypes and hyperbolic characterisation are used to describe Luke's changing understanding of the nature of Death. Recommended for ESL students and students who have difficulty reading .
· Oswald, Debra. Dags (A822 OSW) Sixteen year old Gillian arrives on stage with her head in a paper bag – not an auspicious beginning for a girl in search of ‘Lurve’. The play depicts her transition from totoal alienation through conformity to her acceptance of herself as an individual. Lots of techniques to discuss here, including the role of puppets on stage, the language changes between Gillian’s monologues to the audience and her dialogue with other characters, the use of gender and social stereotypes and the role of stage directions (esp tone of voice) in creating relationships between the characters. Recommended to standard students and advanced readers who can analyse the postmodern aspects of the staging.
· Parsons, Nick. Dead Heart (A822.3 PAR) When a man is killed on a remote Aboriginal community, Senior Constable Ray Lorkin struggles to find a transition point between Aboriginal tradition and Australian law. Focus on the use of Aboriginal and standard English and the symbolism setting and props. You may be able to find the film version at your local video store.
· Russel, Willy. Blood Brothers (822.914 RUS) This musical examines the relationship of twins who were separated at birth but are found united in death. Focus on the way the dialogue reveals their different upbringings and the transitions that result when the twins are brought together. Don’t forget to explain why the composer chose to reveal their death in the opening scene.
· Shakespeare, William. Much Ado About Nothing http://shakespeare.mit.edu/much_ado/full.html While Hero and Claudio are courting, they talk prickly personalities Benedick and Beatrice into believing they are in love with each other – with hilarious results. Look at the way certain metaphors are extended through the play to establish particular emotional transitions and pay special attention to Beatrice and Benedick’s witty repartee. A film version is available in the library.
· Shaw, Bernard. Pygmalion (822.9 SHA or online at http://www.enotes.com/pygmalion-text ). The story of a lowly flower girl who transforms into an "aristocrat" after learning to speak “high class” English. This play is full of witty comments about the artificiality of a society that uses language to define belonging. Look in particular at the symbolism of the title, the use of cockney dialect and the way stage directions bring characters together. There are several film versions of this play and it was made into the musical My Fair Lady (F MYF)
· Shaw, Bernard. Saint Joan (822.9 SHA) This play traces the life of famous military leader Joan of Arc as she transitions from the first moment she reveals that God sent her to save France from the evil English through military victories to her trial before the English inquisition and eventual canonisation as a saint by the Catholic church. Focus on the alternation of Joan’s acceptance and rejection by other characters and the way the author satirises the fact that she was made into a saint. Look for irony in the plot and the dialogue. Ms Carmyn has an (old but very famous) film version.
· Wilde, Oscar. The Importance of Being Earnest (822 WIL) This late Victorian play is a social satire of the English Upper classes. Filled with exaggerated characters, mistaken identity and witty word play, it follows the changing fortunes of Jack/Ernest, an orphan found in a hand bag in a London railway station. An ex-HSC text, there are lots of study guides (including http://www.shmoop.com/importance-of-being-earnest/ ) on this play as well as a couple of films (don’t forget your text is the actual play). Your markers are likely to know it very well. Recommended for advanced readers.
· Williamson, David. The Club (A822.3 WIL) A social satire of the way football clubs operate, buying and selling players like property. Examine the representation of conflict between the coach, the club president and the players, and the way the dialogue (esp. colloquialisms and profanities) create a sense ofstagnation, trapping the charactyers in a one-dimensional "blokey" culture. A 1970s version of this play can be found at F THE; your video store may have a more recent production.
· Wright, Nicholaus. His Dark Materials (822 WRI). Based on Phillip Pullman’s best selling fantasy trilogy, this play is set in a world where people’s souls are manifest externally as companion animals called ‘daemons’. Although the characters are children, the play is written for a wide audience and contains interesting philosophical ideas about transitions. Recommended for standard students who enjoy fantasy and advanced students who are willing to investigate the literary, religious and scientific references (look online – there are lots of analyses).