Prime Suspect by Duncan Ley. Canvas Sky Productions directed by Liz Bradley. Currong Theatre, Gorman House, March 25 till April 4, 1998.
My mother read Agatha Christie novels ad nauseam, so at a very young age my mental solution became thoroughly saturated with the murder mystery genre.
Early childhood experience, however, did not innoculate me against Shakespeare. It was never a question of, Who killed Hamlet? but how to understand the complex of relationships which led Laertes to do the dishonorable deed, and how to come to terms with the tragedies which we all play out in real life.
Agatha Christie's stories were, of course, never to be confused with reality. They were intellectual games on a par with my child prodigy career in chinese checkers. I failed at chess, but that was probably because Shakespeare got to me first.
Prime Suspect, says the program, "was written primarily as a personal writing exercise" and "the primary role of the thriller is to entertain". I was satisfied neither at the Miss Marples nor the Hamlet ends of the thriller continuum.
The Catch-22 situation (if Jonathon is mad he will be certified; if not he will be tried for murder - and incarcerated for life either way) had the potential for an Iago-Othello head-to-head, but the characters' motivations are simply insubstantial. And the revelation of the murderer in the final scene, however true to the evidence, made me feel as though I had been taken for a long walk down the garden path. This wasn't intellectual fun - not the promised entertainment - that a real thriller should be.
Duncan Ley played Jonathon well, within the limits he set for the role. Ian Carcary seemed unsettled as the criminal psychiatrist Dr Banks - but perhaps this was an attempt to prefigure the play's climactic revelation. Production quality - sets, costumes, sound - was excellent, especially considering the lack of funding. And Phil O'Brien's ABC newsreader voice-overs were spot on.
In the end the most original part of the show is The Daily Programme, with its headline Newtown Stunned: The year's most shocking murder. Excitement was promised, but my prime suspect is the author who really has given us a personal writing exercise.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
Wednesday, 25 March 1998
Friday, 20 March 1998
1998: Amendment to previous feature article on Canberra Dance Theatre
Where has Canberra Dance Theatre come from, and where is it going?
CDT has been invited to appear in South Korea, presenting Journey, choreographed by Artistic Director Stephanie Burridge and danced by Sydney-based Anca Frakenhaeuser and Patrick Harding-Irmer. This 50 minute duet, of an independent pioneer woman's relationship with a convict, has had successful seasons in Sydney and Canberra, most recently at the Festival of the Contemporary Arts at Gorman House last October.
Journey was requested by Joo Youn Hee, Manager of Korea Dance Institute, for the International Dance Festival in Taegu City on April 5, after she viewed the video of the Sydney production. CDT's videos present Burridge's work to the modern dance network, while Asian companies seek out works - in Joo's case from 10 western and eastern cultures. The Festival tours from Taegu to Pusan, Ulsan, Pohang, Andong and Taejean over four days.
Unfortunately two weeks is a long time in dance, especially when the Asian currency meltdown is hotting up. We have just heard that Taegu has been forced to withdraw the CDT invitation for purely financial reasons.
[The remainder of the article, as published in the Canberra Times, was the same as in the earlier text]
© Frank McKone, Canberra
CDT has been invited to appear in South Korea, presenting Journey, choreographed by Artistic Director Stephanie Burridge and danced by Sydney-based Anca Frakenhaeuser and Patrick Harding-Irmer. This 50 minute duet, of an independent pioneer woman's relationship with a convict, has had successful seasons in Sydney and Canberra, most recently at the Festival of the Contemporary Arts at Gorman House last October.
Journey was requested by Joo Youn Hee, Manager of Korea Dance Institute, for the International Dance Festival in Taegu City on April 5, after she viewed the video of the Sydney production. CDT's videos present Burridge's work to the modern dance network, while Asian companies seek out works - in Joo's case from 10 western and eastern cultures. The Festival tours from Taegu to Pusan, Ulsan, Pohang, Andong and Taejean over four days.
Unfortunately two weeks is a long time in dance, especially when the Asian currency meltdown is hotting up. We have just heard that Taegu has been forced to withdraw the CDT invitation for purely financial reasons.
[The remainder of the article, as published in the Canberra Times, was the same as in the earlier text]
© Frank McKone, Canberra
Thursday, 12 March 1998
1998: Educating Rita by Willy Russell
Educating Rita by Willy Russell. Paradox Theatre directed by Ivor Selby, with Margaret Forster and Peter Morris. Currong Theatre, Gorman House March 11 - 14 and 18 - 21, 1998.
Paradox Theatre is not easy to pigeonhole. Like coral on the Barrier Reef, Canberra spawns theatre companies. This group has survived for three years with no funding, on projects ranging from Amnesty International fund-raisers, work for other companies (Wildwood's Bod and Artistories for The Company in 1997) to productions of Terry Pratchett and now Educating Rita.
I think the unifying link in this apparently eclectic history is sincerity of intention and professionalism, even when, of this production's director and actors only Margaret Forster demonstrates any professional training.
Selby has taken this play seriously, even though Frank, the debilitated academic, criticises Rita for her unfashionable Marxist analysis of literature (while she at this point is too academically naive to know that this is what she is doing). This production is worth seeing because it reveals the relevance of Marx's concept of the alienated worker. Rita arrives with a sense of alienation that only learning can resolve - but paradoxically her success almost undermines her tutor Frank's sense of his own worth.
This production is not played for laughs or simple romanticism - as the popular film was - but the humour is not lost. In fact I preferred the greater irony in the laughs, which came from a much sadder picture of the failed poet and an often harder woman determined to establish her freedom. I saw the place of this play in the G.B.Shaw tradition which I hadn't seriously considered before: an inevitable comparison with Pygmalion.
The direction needs more depth in characterisation and control of the momentary shifts in relationship between Frank and Rita; while Peter Morris needs to learn to express frustration and despair without the audible huffing which is common in amateur actors trying to "emote". But he made up for this in the difficult - paradoxically sobering - drunken scenes. Margaret Forster has nice timing, voice, movement and mood changes, and for me carries the play. Sound, lighting and costumes are excellent.
Overall, an interesting first night, with the promise of performances settling in well.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
Paradox Theatre is not easy to pigeonhole. Like coral on the Barrier Reef, Canberra spawns theatre companies. This group has survived for three years with no funding, on projects ranging from Amnesty International fund-raisers, work for other companies (Wildwood's Bod and Artistories for The Company in 1997) to productions of Terry Pratchett and now Educating Rita.
I think the unifying link in this apparently eclectic history is sincerity of intention and professionalism, even when, of this production's director and actors only Margaret Forster demonstrates any professional training.
Selby has taken this play seriously, even though Frank, the debilitated academic, criticises Rita for her unfashionable Marxist analysis of literature (while she at this point is too academically naive to know that this is what she is doing). This production is worth seeing because it reveals the relevance of Marx's concept of the alienated worker. Rita arrives with a sense of alienation that only learning can resolve - but paradoxically her success almost undermines her tutor Frank's sense of his own worth.
This production is not played for laughs or simple romanticism - as the popular film was - but the humour is not lost. In fact I preferred the greater irony in the laughs, which came from a much sadder picture of the failed poet and an often harder woman determined to establish her freedom. I saw the place of this play in the G.B.Shaw tradition which I hadn't seriously considered before: an inevitable comparison with Pygmalion.
The direction needs more depth in characterisation and control of the momentary shifts in relationship between Frank and Rita; while Peter Morris needs to learn to express frustration and despair without the audible huffing which is common in amateur actors trying to "emote". But he made up for this in the difficult - paradoxically sobering - drunken scenes. Margaret Forster has nice timing, voice, movement and mood changes, and for me carries the play. Sound, lighting and costumes are excellent.
Overall, an interesting first night, with the promise of performances settling in well.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
Monday, 9 March 1998
1998: Feature article on Stephanie Burridge, Canberra Dance Theatre
Where has Canberra Dance Theatre come from, and where is it going?
On April 5 CDT will appear in South Korea, presenting Journey, choreographed by Artistic Director Stephanie Burridge and danced by Sydney-based Anca Frakenhaeuser and Patrick Harding-Irmer. This 50 minute duet, of an independent pioneer woman's relationship with a convict, has had successful seasons in Sydney and Canberra, most recently at the Festival of the Contemporary Arts at Gorman House last October.
South Korea is a new destination for Burridge, after The Philippines, Hong Kong and India of recent years, not to mention her now completed doctoral study of the influence of Aboriginal dance on choreography in Australia.
Long ago, 20 years in fact, Stephanie Burridge was invited to direct Canberra Dance Ensemble, a local company with big ambitions. In the mid-80's the name changed to Canberra Dance Theatre - a more significant development than it seems. The 90's has seen a new approach to funding: the one-off project approach instead of funding the company for a year at a time.
Other dance companies have come and gone - Human Veins to Meryl Tankard - but CDT continues, growing from its early strength in the local community to an international outreach company. This is a significant achievement which has not received wide enough recognition locally, maybe because Burridge's work is so firmly centred in the contemporary or "modern" dance tradition in a town where classical ballet has such a hold.
Burridge trained at the Rudolph Laban Centre in London. Laban's theories about movement, and his method of recording dance (sometimes called Labanotation), are credited with being the basis for modern dance in both Europe and America. Coming from so close to the source, Burridge's CDT has always had two elements of Laban's work: an analysis of dance into its essential movement qualities, and a cross-cultural emphasis. Her training gave her the framework for creating quality work, teaching modern method, and relating to other cultures through what is now an international language in dance.
Dance Theatre was the concept preferred by Laban - dance designed to have theatrical impact - while "ensemble" suggested a smaller scale perhaps less expressive ambition. So CDE became CDT. The change in funding has been a force, good and bad. Project funding starves the artists between projects, so Burridge had no choice but to free-lance and promote CDT further afield, and the Asia connection has developed as a result.
So you can certainly go to Gorman House to see CDT in action or to train, but this April 5 you'll need to be at the Great Theatre in the Cultural Arts Centre in Taegu City, South Korea, and you can follow the International Dance Festival around Pusan, Ulsan, Pohang, Andong and Taejean over the next four days.
Journey was requested by Joo Youn Hee, Manager of Korea Dance Institute, after she viewed the video of the Sydney production. CDT's videos present Burridge's work to the modern dance network, while Asian companies seek out works - in Joo's case from 10 western and eastern cultures.
Following Burridge's visits in 1996 and 1997, CDT now has a strong connection with Ballet Philippines. We shall see them here in October in a season including Islands, developed from Burridge's Choreographic Centre Fellowship work, and her new work Spirit of Place. Ballet Philippines has already toured excerpts from Islands to various other Asian countries.
So Canberra Dance Theatre is now a local teaching and development company, a company drawing on top quality dancers nationally, and a source of choreography for other companies internationally. Maybe it's time for funding arrangements to reflect the consistent dedication over two decades and into the foreseeable future of an Artistic Director who will almost certainly soon be Dr Stephanie Burridge.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
On April 5 CDT will appear in South Korea, presenting Journey, choreographed by Artistic Director Stephanie Burridge and danced by Sydney-based Anca Frakenhaeuser and Patrick Harding-Irmer. This 50 minute duet, of an independent pioneer woman's relationship with a convict, has had successful seasons in Sydney and Canberra, most recently at the Festival of the Contemporary Arts at Gorman House last October.
South Korea is a new destination for Burridge, after The Philippines, Hong Kong and India of recent years, not to mention her now completed doctoral study of the influence of Aboriginal dance on choreography in Australia.
Long ago, 20 years in fact, Stephanie Burridge was invited to direct Canberra Dance Ensemble, a local company with big ambitions. In the mid-80's the name changed to Canberra Dance Theatre - a more significant development than it seems. The 90's has seen a new approach to funding: the one-off project approach instead of funding the company for a year at a time.
Other dance companies have come and gone - Human Veins to Meryl Tankard - but CDT continues, growing from its early strength in the local community to an international outreach company. This is a significant achievement which has not received wide enough recognition locally, maybe because Burridge's work is so firmly centred in the contemporary or "modern" dance tradition in a town where classical ballet has such a hold.
Burridge trained at the Rudolph Laban Centre in London. Laban's theories about movement, and his method of recording dance (sometimes called Labanotation), are credited with being the basis for modern dance in both Europe and America. Coming from so close to the source, Burridge's CDT has always had two elements of Laban's work: an analysis of dance into its essential movement qualities, and a cross-cultural emphasis. Her training gave her the framework for creating quality work, teaching modern method, and relating to other cultures through what is now an international language in dance.
Dance Theatre was the concept preferred by Laban - dance designed to have theatrical impact - while "ensemble" suggested a smaller scale perhaps less expressive ambition. So CDE became CDT. The change in funding has been a force, good and bad. Project funding starves the artists between projects, so Burridge had no choice but to free-lance and promote CDT further afield, and the Asia connection has developed as a result.
So you can certainly go to Gorman House to see CDT in action or to train, but this April 5 you'll need to be at the Great Theatre in the Cultural Arts Centre in Taegu City, South Korea, and you can follow the International Dance Festival around Pusan, Ulsan, Pohang, Andong and Taejean over the next four days.
Journey was requested by Joo Youn Hee, Manager of Korea Dance Institute, after she viewed the video of the Sydney production. CDT's videos present Burridge's work to the modern dance network, while Asian companies seek out works - in Joo's case from 10 western and eastern cultures.
Following Burridge's visits in 1996 and 1997, CDT now has a strong connection with Ballet Philippines. We shall see them here in October in a season including Islands, developed from Burridge's Choreographic Centre Fellowship work, and her new work Spirit of Place. Ballet Philippines has already toured excerpts from Islands to various other Asian countries.
So Canberra Dance Theatre is now a local teaching and development company, a company drawing on top quality dancers nationally, and a source of choreography for other companies internationally. Maybe it's time for funding arrangements to reflect the consistent dedication over two decades and into the foreseeable future of an Artistic Director who will almost certainly soon be Dr Stephanie Burridge.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
Thursday, 5 March 1998
1998: Feature article on Gunnar Isaacson, Cultural Centre Queanbeyan
Gunnar Isaacson - check your 1963 ABC TV program for the first and last time you saw his name in print. Yet Isaacson's camera lit your television screen with international news and documentaries from the 1950's to the 1980's.
Now 77 (he expects to retire at 80), still self-effacing but a dynamic organiser, Isaacson has directed his enduring interest in children - famous in his travel documentary series Stina's Diary, featuring his own family and children they met in countries all over Europe and Asia (and repeated in 1963 under the title Gunnar Isaacson without his knowledge) - into the Cultural Centre Queanbeyan Inc (CCQ). In Studio 17, provided by Queanbeyan Council without rent, Isaacson uses garage sale video equipment and a small acting space to help young people put their theatre and media interests into practice.
His work, using CCQ membership fees, sponsorship from local businesses and project by project grants from Queanbeyan Council, focusses on creating real outcomes: the production of a theatre script by a new young writer; making a video documentary of Queanbeyan's recent Youth Festival; documentaries on Queanbeyan's young achievers from Olympic Gold champion rower Megan Still to Tim Stephens of School of Arts Cafe fame.
The essential thing is, he says, that young people must have a chance to go on and achieve without fear or favour; with their own sense of direction.
After World War II, the young Isaacson felt that drive, leaving Sweden for South America, meeting the Swedish King's brother in Buenos Aires to make documentaries. He came to Australia in 1948 after a stint in film school at the College of the City of New York. 50 years on he is proud that his protege, Tom Murphy (1997 Australian Young Shakespearean of the Year), is currently taking courses in the same college before going on to a study tour at The Globe Theatre, London.
Isaacson sees himself as a stimulator of talent, whatever the young person's background, so there is no charge for activities. Most participants are between 16 and 19, but occasionally someone younger - in the present group even an 11 year old - will arrive with the motivation to learn technique and the desire to follow through a project, working in a highly democratic team approach. Isaacson worked closely with well known educator Norman Baker to create what they have called "integrated learning".
Yet until the 1970's, the roving cameraman - the news "stringer" - that Isaacson was, worked solo, shooting the news and documentary material on 16mm film with no sound track. It was a shock when one day he found that the next contract required on-the-spot sound recording - and this could only be done with a crew. How could he continue to get the intimate, personalised shots - especially of children - which were his hallmark and central to his concerns with humanity, when two other people would be there watching and recording?
Now, says Isaacson, new technology has come full circle. He moved into work with Film Australia, with many films made for schools which led to a new understanding of education. At CCQ his young colleagues can once again experience solo work, recording sound and vision on video as they go. Look at the ABC's Race Around the World, says Isaacson, and there are the young people with the filmic freedom he had years ago.
Gunnar Isaacson began his recent relationship with young playwrights by taking a street kid to the Australian National Playwrights Conference in 1994. With strong support from ANPC director May-Brit Akerholt and local representative Carol Woodrow (well known for establishing the Canberra Children's Theatre in the early 1970's - spawning Canberra Youth Theatre and The Jigsaw Theatre Company), young people who might not otherwise have the chance now go to each ANPC Conference, and the ANPC sends young writers' scripts to Isaacson. He uses Queanbeyan Council grants for travel and accommodation for two week workshops at Studio 17 for these writers, often with professional dramaturgs, leading to public readings or workshop productions.
The key to Issacson's method is that the young people see themselves as helping other, maybe less fortunate, young people. Through their theatre script development and video productions, the young provide their own role models. The need for Gunnar Issacson to make this happen, he believes, lies in the young people's need for building self-esteem in a world where governments, sadly, are antagonistic to human values and focus on the bottom line.
The bottom line in Studio 17 is the reverse of a long tradition. Instead of supplying potato chips to go and see someone else's film, when the youngsters arrive here Gunnar Isaacson, the ultimate stimulator, brings out the chips while they plan making their own.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
Now 77 (he expects to retire at 80), still self-effacing but a dynamic organiser, Isaacson has directed his enduring interest in children - famous in his travel documentary series Stina's Diary, featuring his own family and children they met in countries all over Europe and Asia (and repeated in 1963 under the title Gunnar Isaacson without his knowledge) - into the Cultural Centre Queanbeyan Inc (CCQ). In Studio 17, provided by Queanbeyan Council without rent, Isaacson uses garage sale video equipment and a small acting space to help young people put their theatre and media interests into practice.
His work, using CCQ membership fees, sponsorship from local businesses and project by project grants from Queanbeyan Council, focusses on creating real outcomes: the production of a theatre script by a new young writer; making a video documentary of Queanbeyan's recent Youth Festival; documentaries on Queanbeyan's young achievers from Olympic Gold champion rower Megan Still to Tim Stephens of School of Arts Cafe fame.
The essential thing is, he says, that young people must have a chance to go on and achieve without fear or favour; with their own sense of direction.
After World War II, the young Isaacson felt that drive, leaving Sweden for South America, meeting the Swedish King's brother in Buenos Aires to make documentaries. He came to Australia in 1948 after a stint in film school at the College of the City of New York. 50 years on he is proud that his protege, Tom Murphy (1997 Australian Young Shakespearean of the Year), is currently taking courses in the same college before going on to a study tour at The Globe Theatre, London.
Isaacson sees himself as a stimulator of talent, whatever the young person's background, so there is no charge for activities. Most participants are between 16 and 19, but occasionally someone younger - in the present group even an 11 year old - will arrive with the motivation to learn technique and the desire to follow through a project, working in a highly democratic team approach. Isaacson worked closely with well known educator Norman Baker to create what they have called "integrated learning".
Yet until the 1970's, the roving cameraman - the news "stringer" - that Isaacson was, worked solo, shooting the news and documentary material on 16mm film with no sound track. It was a shock when one day he found that the next contract required on-the-spot sound recording - and this could only be done with a crew. How could he continue to get the intimate, personalised shots - especially of children - which were his hallmark and central to his concerns with humanity, when two other people would be there watching and recording?
Now, says Isaacson, new technology has come full circle. He moved into work with Film Australia, with many films made for schools which led to a new understanding of education. At CCQ his young colleagues can once again experience solo work, recording sound and vision on video as they go. Look at the ABC's Race Around the World, says Isaacson, and there are the young people with the filmic freedom he had years ago.
Gunnar Isaacson began his recent relationship with young playwrights by taking a street kid to the Australian National Playwrights Conference in 1994. With strong support from ANPC director May-Brit Akerholt and local representative Carol Woodrow (well known for establishing the Canberra Children's Theatre in the early 1970's - spawning Canberra Youth Theatre and The Jigsaw Theatre Company), young people who might not otherwise have the chance now go to each ANPC Conference, and the ANPC sends young writers' scripts to Isaacson. He uses Queanbeyan Council grants for travel and accommodation for two week workshops at Studio 17 for these writers, often with professional dramaturgs, leading to public readings or workshop productions.
The key to Issacson's method is that the young people see themselves as helping other, maybe less fortunate, young people. Through their theatre script development and video productions, the young provide their own role models. The need for Gunnar Issacson to make this happen, he believes, lies in the young people's need for building self-esteem in a world where governments, sadly, are antagonistic to human values and focus on the bottom line.
The bottom line in Studio 17 is the reverse of a long tradition. Instead of supplying potato chips to go and see someone else's film, when the youngsters arrive here Gunnar Isaacson, the ultimate stimulator, brings out the chips while they plan making their own.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
Wednesday, 4 March 1998
1998: Short feature on Shakespeare Globe Centre program
The Shakespeare Globe Centre Australia has launched its 1998 program. As in previous years, there will be the Shakespeare Globe Centre Youth Festival running in schools throughout the country. Last year's Australian Young Shakespearean Artist of the Year was Tom Murphy from Queanbeyan, who is currently exploring overseas and will take up his award visiting the London Globe Theatre in June.
The Teacher of the Year award will be offered again this year: a chance to "celebrate, study and share the first-hand Shakespearean experience" at the London Globe. Teachers need to present a detailed proposal for the professional development they would like to undertake.
This year the prize for the young Shakespearean Artist of the Year will include a full scholarship for four weeks at the London Globe in the northern summer along with the winners from USA, Japan, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand and Germany.
These "Globe Apprentices" will be immersed into the life of the Globe Theatre; will benefit from master classes with professional actors and directors and join in regular movement and vocal work with the Globe company. They will observe rehearsals and technical sessions, and will attend productions.
The apprentices will also train as an Apprentice Company and present sonnets, monologues and scenes in the Globe Theatre on Sunday afternoons. In this intensive four weeks apprentices will help in the production office, box office, wardrobe and front of house, as well as going to classes on the historical, social, cultural and political contexts of the playhouse and the plays.
The Australian Shakespeare Globe Centre is based at Sydney University. Enquiries should be directed to Diana Denley or Hugh O'Keefe by phone 02 9351 5231 or fax 02 9351 5230.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
The Teacher of the Year award will be offered again this year: a chance to "celebrate, study and share the first-hand Shakespearean experience" at the London Globe. Teachers need to present a detailed proposal for the professional development they would like to undertake.
This year the prize for the young Shakespearean Artist of the Year will include a full scholarship for four weeks at the London Globe in the northern summer along with the winners from USA, Japan, Canada, Denmark, New Zealand and Germany.
These "Globe Apprentices" will be immersed into the life of the Globe Theatre; will benefit from master classes with professional actors and directors and join in regular movement and vocal work with the Globe company. They will observe rehearsals and technical sessions, and will attend productions.
The apprentices will also train as an Apprentice Company and present sonnets, monologues and scenes in the Globe Theatre on Sunday afternoons. In this intensive four weeks apprentices will help in the production office, box office, wardrobe and front of house, as well as going to classes on the historical, social, cultural and political contexts of the playhouse and the plays.
The Australian Shakespeare Globe Centre is based at Sydney University. Enquiries should be directed to Diana Denley or Hugh O'Keefe by phone 02 9351 5231 or fax 02 9351 5230.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
Monday, 2 March 1998
1998: Wallpaper Stories by Lynette Wallis
Wallpaper Stories, written and directed by Lynette Wallis. Jigsaw Theatre Company. Touring ACT primary schools February 23 to March 21, 1998. Professional.
Most houses in Canberra have few layers of wallpaper, yet none of the 80 young people at Forrest School last Monday were fazed when Louis exposed 1956, 1932 and 1885 and met the other 10 year olds who had lived in his house. Kenneth Spiteri played Louis' fears, excitement and sadness, yet he had perhaps an easier time than Sarah Snell who played all the other characters in a set only Elizabeth Patterson could have designed - more extrances and exits than the funniest farce.
Entertaining as the show is - the teachers pointed out that not one child lost concentration - the key is education: what last century would have called an education in sensibility. Louis' day at home sick, while his recently divorced mother goes to work, is the beginning of new understanding - for him and for the audience. Divorce makes sense to him - his parents are happier and he has a much better time with them both. But Jeannie from 1956 sees divorce as sin and thinks it's dreadful that his mother has to work. "But she likes going to work," says Louis. So there is Issue Number One.
Especially clever is Wallis' research into language. Maybe Humphrey from 1885, when the house was in an expensive suburb (I imagine somewhere in North Fitzroy or Surrey Hills), is a bit too stereotypically upper class but the script humorously shows language changing over time and between social classes. Issue Number Two.
The big issue for me was human rights, especially the rights of children. Charlie Kelly, aged 10, has his arm torn off by the machine he works on in Humphrey's father's factory. Humphrey's father gives Mrs Kelly £5 so she won't inform the police. 13 is the employment age limit. This year Amnesty International has a campaign on Women's and Children's Rights. Issue Number Three - and the saddest moment in the play, as Louis, with his audience, realises the enormity of what happened to Charlie in 1885.
Fully booked for this tour, I expect Wallpaper Stories will go interstate as it surely deserves. If your school has missed out this time, ring Wayne Collins at Jigsaw on 6247 2133.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
Most houses in Canberra have few layers of wallpaper, yet none of the 80 young people at Forrest School last Monday were fazed when Louis exposed 1956, 1932 and 1885 and met the other 10 year olds who had lived in his house. Kenneth Spiteri played Louis' fears, excitement and sadness, yet he had perhaps an easier time than Sarah Snell who played all the other characters in a set only Elizabeth Patterson could have designed - more extrances and exits than the funniest farce.
Entertaining as the show is - the teachers pointed out that not one child lost concentration - the key is education: what last century would have called an education in sensibility. Louis' day at home sick, while his recently divorced mother goes to work, is the beginning of new understanding - for him and for the audience. Divorce makes sense to him - his parents are happier and he has a much better time with them both. But Jeannie from 1956 sees divorce as sin and thinks it's dreadful that his mother has to work. "But she likes going to work," says Louis. So there is Issue Number One.
Especially clever is Wallis' research into language. Maybe Humphrey from 1885, when the house was in an expensive suburb (I imagine somewhere in North Fitzroy or Surrey Hills), is a bit too stereotypically upper class but the script humorously shows language changing over time and between social classes. Issue Number Two.
The big issue for me was human rights, especially the rights of children. Charlie Kelly, aged 10, has his arm torn off by the machine he works on in Humphrey's father's factory. Humphrey's father gives Mrs Kelly £5 so she won't inform the police. 13 is the employment age limit. This year Amnesty International has a campaign on Women's and Children's Rights. Issue Number Three - and the saddest moment in the play, as Louis, with his audience, realises the enormity of what happened to Charlie in 1885.
Fully booked for this tour, I expect Wallpaper Stories will go interstate as it surely deserves. If your school has missed out this time, ring Wayne Collins at Jigsaw on 6247 2133.
© Frank McKone, Canberra
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)