Bertolt Brecht once said, “art is not a mirror with which to reflect reality, but a hammer with which to shape it (BBC, 2017).” This forms the fundamentals of Brechtian theatre as it aims not only to show the world as it is, but to challenge, empower and educate audiences, to evoke change. Chasing the Lollyman, is a one man show devised by Mark Sheppard and co-directed by Liz Skitch. The performance utilises the powerful medium of Brechtian theatre in order to discuss issues surrounding aboriginal identity and culture. Throughout the performance, Sheppard utilises Brechtian conventions along with the dramatic elements, enabling the audience to become aware of the impact that the first settlers had on the aboriginal people. Specifically, the …show more content…
Specific humorous scenes such as the Ramsey street and Getaway episodes, enabled to draw focus to how the interference of the first settlers morphed the aboriginal culture from its traditional roots, and how acceptance of this change is essential. As the actor begins this episode he introduces the audience to the Australian show Neighbours, taking the audience through what it would be like if an aboriginal family moved into Ramsey street. In this scene, the actor constantly switches between the characters of an aboriginal mother and Susan. Sheppard generates humour as he transforms into the mother, as the mother talked rapidly and moved using pointing gestures, whilst the character Susan was softly spoken while her feminine gestures, straightened posture and elegant hand motions generated two completely different characters. This juxtaposition between the two different personalities traits communicated by the manipulation of movement, is highly humorous. Through this hypothetical scenario the actor highlights, that as Australians we have never seen an aboriginal family on television. Thus through, integrating and placing an aboriginal family into the show scenario, it enables the communication of dramatic meaning as it demonstrates that it is possible of both indigenous and non-indigenous people accept to one …show more content…
The Brechtian convention of juxtaposition is again successfully employed, between Sheppard’s happy and positive tone and the seriousness of the mission camps, generating a humorous effect. This amplifies the alienation of the audience, meaning they think more objectively about the missions and how this impacted aboriginal identity. Through this alienation the audience is forced to think about the dramatic meaning, regarding the impact that the first settlers had on the indigenous Australians and the need for acceptance. Thus, through the use of movement and juxtaposition to create humour the performance effectively enhances the impact that the first settlers have on changing aboriginal identity and how acceptance needs to be reached, for both indigenous and non-indigenous
Good morning Mrs Dover and 8D. I have chosen to analyse the film clip “black fella, white fella” by the Warumpi band, and have determined that the song and associated images is partially successful in communicating aboriginal values, such as culture, land and family. The lyrics include the language features repetition, alliteration and rhetorical questions to deliver a message of reconciliation and equality. These features are also supported by visual imagery that is intended to support the ideas within the song.
The play, “Riley Valentine and the Occupation of Fort Svalbard”, by Julia- Rose Lewis is an exploration of the resilience of teenagers. The play is heavily symbolic and supports the dramatic meaning of the show. Throughout the Queensland Theatre Company’s interpretation of this play, the director, Travis Dowley, expresses forms of dramatic elements to articulate three types of manipulations. These manipulations include the manipulation of body and voice, space and the creation and manipulation of dramatic mood. Through these types of manipulations, it portrays the dramatic meaning towards the performance. Although, the use of space throughout Travis’s performance allows the audience to identify this dramatic meaning.
It is imperative to understand the significance of the profound effects these elements have on the audience’s response to the play. Without effective and accurate embodiments of the central themes, seeing a play becomes an aimless experience and the meaning of the message is lost. Forgiveness and redemption stand as the central themes of the message in The Spitfire Grill. Actors communicate character development through both nonverbal and verbal cues; their costumes serve as a visual representation of this development by reflecting the personal transformation of each character. In the case of The Spitfire Grill, set design is cut back to allow for the audience’s primary focus to be on the actors and their story. Different from set design, the use of sound and lights in The Spitfire Grill, establishes the mood for the play. In other words, every theatrical element in a play has a purpose; when befittingly manipulated, these elements become the director’s strongest means of expressing central themes, and therefore a means of achieving set objectives. Here again, The Spitfire Grill is no exception. With the support of these theatrical elements, the play’s themes of forgiveness and redemption shine as bright as the moon on
The idea that indigenous Australian communities are underprivileged and do not receive the same justice that the white community accrues is represented through Jay Swan and his interactions with the corrupt white police officers and the indigenous locals of the town. My empathetic response to the text as a whole was influenced directly by way the text constructs these ideas as well as my knowledge of the way indigenous Australians are represented in the mainstream media and the behaviour of the police force as an institution. These contextual factors and the way Sen has constructed ideas influenced me to empathise with the indigenous
In Australia the Aboriginals face discrimination daily. The film opened with four young Aboriginal girls singing on a makeshift stage facing their community. When the camera panned to show the smiling faces in the crowd it gave a feel of unity and love. Later it showed two sisters who were trying to hitch a ride into the city from the main road. Yet every vehicle passed them by; once they saw who they were, frustrated the older sister. Gale stated it was because they ‘were black’. When in the town playing their song on the stage in a bar, the youngest sister turned up and took
Before we look at whether James Moloney effectively uses characterisation to convey Aboriginal issues we must look at the issues themselves. In Dougy, the issue of black and white prejudice is strongly present in the plot. The stereotyping of Aborigines and white Europeans play an important role in the events and the outcome of the story, as is individuality and the breaking of the stereotypes. The book also touches on the old Aboriginal superstitions that are still believed in by some today, though one of such superstitions plays an important role in creating the mood of the resolution. These issues impact most heavily on the character Gracey.
The Indigenous youth of Australia still face many challenges growing up in a world dominated by white Europeans. This essay will discuss the stereotypes and marginalisation that young Indigenous teenagers must face. After viewing Yolngu Boy and Black Chicks Talking, there will be examples from the two movies on the stereotypes, marginalisation, interdependent and the connection the characters of the movies have with the Aboriginal culture and the dominant white culture.
Tim Wintons short story, “Neighbours” questions Australia's social discourse by exploring the transition of individuals into a new phase of life. Winton challenges society’s ignorance and cultural stereotypes by displaying a provocative new experience which has the ability to manipulate and change individuals perspectives. Society’s ignorance can be seen through the conflicting hyperbole, “good neighbours were seldom seen and never heard”, exploring the couples incomprehension of different cultures and lifestyles. The negative connotations surrounding the adverb “seldom seen” and “never heard” distort society's underlying values of love, respect and trust, consequently positioning the reader to consider the impact of new experiences in developing one's personal perspective. Moreover, Winton explores society's challenging and spurring transition into a new phase of life via the use of the emotive noun “murdering” in “their neighbours were not murdering each other, merely talking”. The noun, “murdering” juxtaposed with the positive imagery of “talking” posits the audience to society's dignity in the stereotypical context of Australia. Winton challenges the audience to question their moral truths and how a new experience can enlighten individuals to consider different cultures and perspectives. Composers manipulate the reader's perspectives through showing the transition into a new phase of life and how this has the ability to develop and individuals knowledge and
“The more you know, the less you need.” The attitude from White Australians towards Indigenous Australians was extremely unfriendly, and due to the fact that Aboriginal Australians had knowledge about things the European settlers believed did not matter they treated as if they were uneducated nuisances. The aboriginal people believed that the land they had lived on for generations belonged to them; however the White Australians came and took the land. This also means that the Europeans took what the Indigenous people valued most, and that was their land. Authors and directors convey different attitudes, values and beliefs in different ways, however it still has the same impact.
Through out the play aboriginals are marginalised they are told where to go what to do and how to go about life. The play was staged on a perambulate model, meaning that the action of the play shifts between many locations. There is the town of Northam with the Police Station and two Cells, the Main Street and the Government Well Aboriginal Reserve. Then there is The Moore River Native Settlement with the Superintendent’s office, the Millimurra family’s tent and the Aboriginal camp at Long Pool. There is also the Chief Protectors Office and the Western Australian Historical Society in Perth and an area by the railway line. This allows for marginalisation between the audience and the play. This can be perceived as some what payback by Jack Davis for the marginalisation that the Europeans forced upon the aboriginals. Contrasting dialogue is also found within the play’s Aboriginal cast. It is not uncommon for a character to begin a sentence in English, only to lead in to Nyoongah words as they proceed:
Australia has the terrible condition of having an essentially pointless and prefabricated idea of “Aussiness” that really has no relation to our real culture or the way in which we really see ourselves. We, however subscribe to these stereotypes when trying to find some expression of our Australian identity. The feature film, The Castle, deals with issues about Australian identity in the 1990’s. The film uses techniques like camera shots, language and the use of narration to develop conflict between a decent, old fashioned suburban family, the Kerrigans and an unscrupulous corporation called Airlink. Feature films like The Castle are cultural products because they use attitudes, values and stereotypes about what it means to be Australian.
I think the film effectively addresses the experience of Aboriginal women because it includes the analysis of different experiences of indigenous women. The film’s did a great job into revealing the struggles of what racialized, or even disadvantaged women in general have to face every day of their lives. Moreover, the interviews with the families of the missing women, gave a depressing and gloomy tone, yet an unfortunate and realistic scope of the torment of how it affects those who care about this issue. The film also did a good job at showing how this treatment towards indigenous women is something normalized or insignificant when it is covered by the
This traumatising experience ultimately shape her future view on the white community and develop a strong sense of Aboriginal identity. The conjunction of ‘but’ in ‘They might be drinkers, but they’re still our people’ represent her connection to the Aboriginal culture and reveals her pride in her Aboriginal identity. However, Nan Dear is provoked by Dolly boyfriend, Errol Fisher which leads her to reflect on her past experience of rape by who may be related to Errol, ’The lad- he took advantage of me.. his name was Clem Fisher’. During the petition, Nan Dear discovers the truth ‘my (Errol) dad changed our surnames..
Charles Perkins was an Australian Aboriginal Activist who experienced firsthand the poor living standards and treatment of Aboriginals as he lived in aboriginal reserve until 10 then in a boy’s home (Anon., 2013). He was a well know national fi...
Background: The movie Australia was based off a true story. The movie is set in remote western Australia, in an indigenous community, it is shown on the movie that there is an English master with his wife still in England running the station. The husband does not really have that much to do with the place as he has indigenous family keeping it all intact, he has a chef, and I am pretty sure he does not pay any of them but just gives them a place to stay. He has got a Chinese chef, and very frustrating neighbours who will do anything such as starve his animals on the property to buy the land. There are famous actors who play ironic roles, they are Australian, this factor is game changing.